Killing the Worry Wart

I think I can safely say I am a worry wart. As much as I hate it, the title is very fitting, and I think I have always been that way to some degree. Its mostly because I pay close attention to details. I often foresee trouble based on predictions of small oversights colliding at precisely the wrong moment and ending in catastrophe. This usually doesn't even happen, but once I have an thought of what could happen if everything that can go wrong does, I am off. 

 For the last several months, I have been battling with a destructive habit of worrying myself into oblivion about problems that aren't even mine to worry about. It has been happening at work, at home, at school, everywhere. I notice something small that I believe will likely go wrong and focus on it so intently that I can focus on almost nothing else. The anxiety stemming from one of these small possible catastrophes can last for several days, until the event passes or I can consciously pry myself from the thoughts. I believe now that this habit has only aggravated the health issues I have been struggling with recently. 

This infographic does a nice job of outlining the effects that anxiety can have on the body, and has definitely opened my eyes to the harm that I have been causing myself simply through my thoughts and the resulting physiological changes in the body that are triggered by the "fight or flight" response. 

Graphic borrowed from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/20/your-body-on-anxiety_n_5352548.html

As I continue to do research on the impact that the mind has on the body, I am continuously shocked and amazed. The brain is a powerful entity in the body and can make the difference between health and illness. 

This week, I have been trying to identify the moments I begin to obsess over the possibility of a mishap or at least to become conscious of the worry as soon as I can as a way of reducing the amount of stress I place on myself. Once the worry has been identified, I ask myself whether it is something that I need to worry about. Usually the answer is no. I have been focusing on clearing my mind and reminding myself "It is not my problem to worry about." I have already felt a deeper sense of relaxation in the evenings, when I normally can not release all the possible debacles from the day. I plan to experiment with aromatherapy as support for my process of conscious de-stressing my life in the weeks and months to come. 

I can't wait to feel the benefits of this self-challenge!