How To Stop Worrying and Focus on the Present

Q: I seem to be a chronic worrier. I have always been like this. I am in my twenties and I seem to worry about everything from my personal life to my career. I don’t want to end up like this forever. Can you help?

A: It sounds like you are preoccupied with events or unresolved issues from your past and you are taking them into your future. In a relaxed state, it is possible to enjoy the present moment, which is what you want to work on, being in the present moment. When we worry and feel stressed, we are robbing ourselves of the present moment.

My guess is that you are focused more on events in the future. Of course, the future comes uncertainty. Worry focuses our attention on anticipated events that may not even occur. The problem with this is worry immobilizes our thought processes and leave us unable to function at best.

This is an unproductive emotion as you know. It wastes a lot of time and energy that you could be usingto your highest good. Time is too valuable a resource to waste. Perhaps you can make a list of yourtop ten stressors and worries. Take a good look at them and ask yourself if they contribute to your worry chances are they do. Then ask yourself if you feel uncomfortable in the present moment? If you do, why?

Often people focus on the past or future to avoid the present. This is counterproductive for the present isour ally, it keeps us centered and grounded and relieves us from worry and fret.

Remember, the past you cannot change, so it’s helpful to let it go.

The future exacerbates worry and you are not there yet, so why expound your time and energy on worry? The present is really all wehave, so begin to stay focused on the now and you will better cope with and lessen the worry thatcreeps in.