Are You Worrying Yourself Sick?

This Week's Simple Tip

Ever notice how much time we spend worrying about this or that? People worry about many different things: work, money, health, relationships. Some concerns are real, but most are unnecessary. Worry is often about the past or the future. Worries about the past start with "If only ____" while worries about the future begin with "What if ___." We make up consequences to both that lead us feeling "the sky is falling" just like Chicken Little. Our worrying is terrible for our bodies as it increases cortisol levels which compromises our immune systems and makes us more susceptible to disease.

This Week's Focus

This week, create a worry window —twenty minutes in the morning or early evening. Put it on your calendar. Try not to worry outside of your worry time but if you do, write down your worry and put it aside until worry time. Over time, you will likely notice an increased ability to control when and where you worry.