I can’t credit the unknown author for these Ten Ways to Worry Less and Accomplish More (paraphrased), but they do make sense.
- Think of problems as opportunities, not difficulties. (It’s all about framing.)
- Do your best with a situation, then forget about it and move on. (Easy to say, hard to do. Takes practice.)
- Stay active to avoid dwelling on anything too long. (If the mind’s active, it’s more difficult to worry.)
- Remember that armchair generals don’t win battles, but they do have nervous breakdowns. (Don’t worry about things you don’t control.)
- Stop erecting castles in the air. (Permanence is sexy.)
- Do it now, do it now. (Don’t procrastinate, but do engage in open thinking time and idea-fertilizing time.)
- Stay off the pity-pot. (Don’t dump your woes and anxieties on other people.)
- Get up as soon as you wake up. (Staying in bed uses as much nervous energy in living your day in advance as the real thing.)
- Take things one at a time. (Rushing erodes poise and self-confidence, contribuing to fear and anxiety, and multi-tasking is a myth.)
- Eat the elephant one bite at a time. (Break things into manageable bits, simple action steps, or achievable objectives; focus on the present step before moving on to the next one.)
- Bonus: Be ready to recognize opportunity. (It may not be dressed as you expect, or arrive when you expect it.)
I have always known that at last I would take this road, but yesterday I did not know that it would be today. – Narihara
