Remember the next time someone offers you calming advice that you and your body know best.
Just ignore the worrying thoughts!
Dont pay any attention to them and theyll go away.
boram kim
When you are in a physically worried state (yes, feelings are a physical state!
), you cannot switch off your worry.
It is not physically possible without doing some work first.
Imagine asking someone who is having a seizure to shake it off and get back to work.
Worry has a neurological component, and when it is strong, you cannot voluntarily ignore it.
These parts of you worry as a way to keep you safe.
Believe it or not, they are most likely trying to help!
Therefore, they will turn up the volume of worry in any way they can to keep you safe.
Ignoring worry equals louder worry!
Dont be so negative.
Look at the bright side and be positive about things.
This forced positivity sets up a little battle rather than a soothing situation.
Your body is not physically ready to receive a super-charged positive message.
Furthermore, the parts of your personality that are really worried feel incredibly threatened by this message.
Youll worry about that feeling too.
Be happy, keep busy, go, go, go…. (And I know you want it to work, because I did too!)
But you and I both know its not that simple.
This solution is exhausting to maintain.
It eventually leads to more stress.
And thenWHAM!the worry is back, sometimes stronger than before.
What is happening here?
Distraction and busyness can feel similar to worry in the body.
However, when your body and mind eventually demand rest, the unresolved worry will return.
What can I do?
Should I get a treadmill?
Should I work all the time?
Why cant I ever just sit and rest?
If I rest, am I a lazy person?
There must be something very wrong with me!And on and on…
So rather than finding calm for the one internal manager, youve created more managers.
Remember the next time someone offers you calming advice that you and your body know best.
Listen to your body and get to know your own worry!
You hold your key to a calm life.
