Posted by Dennis Mellersh in Personal Development Potential.
Tags: inspiration, life, philosophy, self-improvement, the future, the past, worry, worrying, writing
In our personal growth efforts we can reduce our emotional discomfort by making conscious choices concerning what we will worry about.
It’s similar approach to the concept of “choosing our battles” carefully.
As with most advice on achieving our self-improvement potential, however, such suggestions are easier to accept intellectually than they are to actually put into practice.
So what follows is not anything we don’t already know, but more of a reminder for us (when possible) to try to think consciously about worrying rather than falling into doing it reflexively.
One definition of worry describes it as “A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.”
To that we might add “or imaginary problems” that will likely never actually develop.
To choose what we worry about, here are is a reminder about just a few of the well-known key worry “inducers” we should concentrate on reducing or eliminating:
* Focusing on the past
* Dwelling on the future
* Thinking too much about things we can’t control
* Assuming bad outcomes
* Constantly trying to please others
Our worry patterns are baked-in over our lifetimes, so we can’t just will ourselves to stop worrying.
But when we catch ourselves obsessing/worrying at any given time, we are able to rationally approach that particular worry and decide if it is worth investing our emotional and intellectual energy.
Worry quote:
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.” – Mark Twain
– Dennis Mellersh
Posted by Dennis Mellersh in Concept of personal growth.
Tags: achieving goals, Dr. William B. Terhune, life, patience, philosophy, self-improvement, writing
Despite our human inclination to want speedy results in all that we do, the pace of personal development is slow and gradual – if it is to be meaningful and lasting.
Improving ourselves – whether it is spiritually, intellectually, or emotionally – is an evolutionary process, not a revolutionary one.
Self-improvement is not an exam that we can cram for, not a hundred yard dash, and not a box we can check-off with minimal effort.
Personal development results achieved very quickly are usually likely to be superficial and not long-lasting.
We can make a quick decision that we are going to improve ourselves in various aspects but the path to success is winding and not short, with both ups and downs.
As Dr. William B. Terhune observes:
“Patience pays big dividends. Patience is the ability to wait until events run their course, knowing that if you do, your opportunity will come; luck will turn your way. Success is largely a matter of being able to await the opportunity patiently, and then seizing it avidly.” (1)
(1) William B. Terhune, M.D., in his book Emotional Problems and What You Can Do About Them
— Dennis Mellersh
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