PERSONAL NOTE
There was a song from the early eighties called "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder which says several times throughout the song "Nobody's going to break my stride, nobody going to hold me down". This was my motivating song when I went through my divorce and is again today after my surprise medical issue. I just signed up for the Navy Bay Bridge Run/Walk in May which is a 4-mile course over the Coronado Bay Bridge. Several thousand people participate and it's a lot of fun. Now I just have to get my body in shape for it and since nobody's going to break my stride, I know I will perform as well as in past years.
I know that some of my readers deal with varying amounts of worry so I thought I would give you a short quiz to see how well you are doing. Are you a "worrywart" or "This too shall pass" kind of person? Find out below.
ARTICLE
How Well Do You Deal with Worry? --Quiz and Insights
At its essence, worry is a reasonable response, helping us anticipate—and avoid—danger by taking constructive action. But too often, worry becomes an endless loop that makes it hard to focus and perform, and stresses our physical systems. Circle True or False as you take this Self-Quiz to see how well you handle worry.
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T or F I seem confident and happy-go-lucky to everyone who knows me. That’s because I keep my worries to myself. I don’t want to burden anyone by sharing my concerns.
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T or F I write about my fears and concerns. This seems to take some of the power out of them. After writing, creative solutions seem to just show up.
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T or F I lie in bed for two or three hours at night worrying, just hoping to fall back asleep. I feel tired all the time.
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T or F Getting involved with my family, friends, church, neighborhood, organizations, etc., gives me the sense of being part of something bigger than myself. When I turn the focus from inside to out, my worries seem to dissipate.
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T or F If I find myself worrying, I get up and move around. The action seems to relieve my anxiety and gives me a better perspective.
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T or F What really works for me when I’m feeling tense and afraid is to take a long walk, run, bike ride, or go work out. It seems that when I exercise more, I worry less.
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T or F When my worries spin on in an endless loop, I know it’s time for a gratitude list. Focusing on the things I am grateful for is like turning my worries inside out.
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T or F My worries seem to come from nowhere and feel uncontrollable. When I’m in the grip of them, I feel incapable of coming up with any solutions.
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T of F I worry mostly about things that, in fact, have a very low probability of actually occurring—going bankrupt, dying in a plane crash, getting fired, etc.
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T or F Rather than let my nighttime thoughts keep me from getting to sleep, I focus on physical sensations, such as the feel of the sheets and the warmth of my own body.
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T or F When I’m immersed in my worried thoughts, I have, but rarely notice, physical sensations such as a rapid heartbeat, sweatiness, and shakiness.
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T or F The more repetitive my worrying becomes, the more persuasive it seems.
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T or F I worry about others because I don’t really trust that they can take care of themselves.
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T or F When I’m concerned about something, I take action. Then I let go, trusting that I’ve done all I can do.
Shifting your worry to wonder opens up possibilities for curiosity and action rather than dread and immobility. What will happen? How will it all turn out? How can I act to make the outcome the best it can be? If you find that you are spending more time worrying than taking action and moving toward your desires, please don’t hesitate to call me at 619-358-0684.
COOL QUOTE
This is my favorite quote about worry: "Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it gets you nowhere."---Glenn Turner
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Please let me know if there are particular items you would like me to cover in upcoming newsletters. Just email me at jancerasaro@yccbe.com
Stay safe, healthy, and happy!
Coach Jan
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