Are you worrying yourself sick?

Worry, we all do it, some more than others. That little voice inside that keeps reminding you of all the negative possible outcomes. It’s a form of low grade anxiety (or not so low grade if you are really worried about something). Everyone worries at one time or another so, what’s the harm? It would appear to be a part of everyday life. Studies have shown that the old adage "worrying yourself sick" actually has some truth to it. Worrying acts as a stressor in the body, physically it influences cardiac health, can cause insomnia, digestive problems, and can lead to illness. Mentally worry can decrease concentration, erode self esteem, and impair decision making, not to mention it simply doesn’t feel good.

The funny thing about worrying is it seems to build steam, you’re a little worried about a situation, soon you begin noticing all the ‘wrong’ aspects of your situation, so you worry more, notice more ‘wrong’ aspects, soon your not seeing anything right in the situation, and it becomes a cycle. Have you ever noticed that when you worry about something, you make it larger than life, and it usually happens? Say you’ve got a meeting first thing in the morning, you keep worrying about being late and the disastrous results, sure enough something snags in the morning and you’re late.

The Law of Attraction, many of you may have heard of "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne from Oprah, The Today Show, Ellen, or Larry King Live, says like attracts like. It says that everything is composes of energy that vibrates at a rate we can’t see with the naked eye. This includes thoughts, feelings, and actions. When you’re worrying about something, you’re putting a lot of thought and feeling into what ever you’re worrying about. It’s like using your imagination to create a negative result.

My kids invented a game we called the ‘What if’ game. They would think up wild scenarios and ask me what I would do, of course I created a grand solution complete with outrageous occurrences, it was such fun and we always had a laugh. Worrying is like playing the ‘What If’ game only creating the worst outcome. When I have clients who get stuck in worry mode I ask them to play the ‘What If game’ creating the best possible outcome. Ex. What if I got that promotion and a 20% pay raise, Wow then I could take that cruise I’ve been wanting.

I’m not advocating the ‘ostrich’ effect, of simply sticking your head in the sand and ignoring your problems, but dwelling on them isn’t helpful either. Dealing with issues as best you can at the moment and then deliberately shifting your focus to things that are going well right now, is the approach I am advocating. So next time your worrying about something, do what you can then shift your perspective to the best outcome rather than the worst, you will feel better, your health won’t suffer, and energy flows where attention goes; so you will likely be enjoying better outcomes!!

Cathy Brennan is a professional coach, speaker, and author who has helped hundreds of clients create meaning and prosperity in their business’s and lives. Want to know how? She can be reached at coach@pathwayscoach.com, 860-774-0006, or www.pathwayscoach.com.