The Antidote To Worry

What is the problem?

It's this: The quality of your thoughts increases significantly!

It is quite common for me to discover elegant solutions to current life challenges in the middle of my Qigong training. And sometimes I get ideas that are so 'juicy' that I have to temporarily pause my practice whilst I run into the house and commit the thought, idea, insight or solution to tape or paper. The content of this article is a classic example.

I was in my garden practicing a qigong exercise called 'Big Universe' when without warning I suddenly knew the 'Antidote to Worry'. Being a good student I let go of the thought, but it began 'snow balling' getting bigger and bigger.

I soon realised I'd got a hot one here, so I brought my attention to my dan tien, and ran into my office. The rest of this article (slightly polished) is what I recorded on my trusty dictaphone before returning back to the garden to finish my Qigong training.

First of all I'd like you to consider why do you worry?

Please take a moment, stop reading and spend 30 seconds considering what is the positive reason for worrying about anything?

In my previous life as a counsellor I learned that we do everything we do for a reason. Everything we do, we do because we hope to get some postive outcome. Even if what we are doing may seem crazy or 'bad' to somebody else.

Drug takers take drugs because for many doing so transports them instantly out of pain and into pleasure, even though taking drugs ultimately leads to more pain. The point I'm making is that at the root of every activity or thing we do there is a positive reason.

The reason may seem ludicrous to somebody else. We may not even be consciously aware of the reason ourselves. All we know is that it feels better than doing nothing. And the quicker we can feel better, the better. There are many activities that promise instant gratification or release and fortunately (like Qigong) not all of them do more harm than good over the long term

'It only seems as if you are doing something when you worry' - Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942)

So what is the positive reason or outcome you hope to achieve by worrying? I believe that when we worry we are looking for a solution to something we perceive to be a problem. Personally I have found worrying to be a very inefficient way of finding solutions.

The appeal of worry is that it tricks us into believing we are busy looking for a solution. Because it easily consumes the attention of our conscious minds we mistakenly believe that we are doing the best we can.

'Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere' - Anon

Worry can be like a flame to dry wood. Very quickly it can get out of control and take over causing a lot of damage to your health, happiness, relationships and spirit and can leave you feeling like a helpless victim

'There is nothing that wastes the body like worry' - Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)

The ultimate solution to worry is to not do it. If you are running towards the edge of a cliff and you don't want to fall, you stop. It's the same with worry. As soon as you become mindful that you are worrying, acknowledge the fact and stop. Realise that there is a much more effective way to find a solution and follow these 4 steps:

Step One: Get Clarity – clearly identify what is the root cause of your worry. Is it financial debt? Have you been diagnosed with an illness? Is someone you love in trouble? Is an important relationship falling apart? Whatever it is be very clear on what is causing the temptation to worry.

Step Two: Become Solution Focused – Now you know what is causing you to worry focus on as many different solutions to it as you can. Get creative. This is not the time to judge your ideas this is the time to list anything and everything that comes into your awareness as a possible solution.

If you get stuck go for a walk, pray for guidance, speak to a friend, contact an expert on the subject, 'google' it, search the Internet. Be solution focused. Believe that there is a solution and that you will find it. List as many as you possibly can, no matter how absurd some of them may seem.

Step Three: Evaluate – Now is the time to rate your list of possible solutions. Work through your list, some of them will be instantly dismissable, whilst others will bear further investigation. The key here is to single out those you connect with. There will be 1 or 2 that appeal to you as offering the best quality solution for you. Remember you are looking for your solution, not somebody elses!

If there is nothing on your list that inspires you, go back to step 1 and make certain you have idenetified the root cause of your worry. If you have then brainstorm more possible solutions. If necessary speak to as many experts as you can to discover possible solutions you didn't even know existed.

Step Four: Take Action – When you have identified at least one possible solution, or course action that you feel promises the best outcome for you, take massive, inspired action. Make your plan and then work your plan.

Inspired Action is the Antidote to Worry Now you know the antidote to worry. Remember though, just knowing the solution wont stop the problem. You have to apply what you know. Knowing how to do something means very little, in fact I'd go so far as to say that if you don't do what you know, then you don't really know it at all.

Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action - Walter Anderson (Author)

Conclusion I acknowledge that some problems may not have a complete solution. In such a situation do all that you can, then accept that you have done all that you can and let go of the problem.

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. - James Baldwin (1924 – 1987) Author

Marcus Santer is an author and worldwide authority on Shaolin Qigong. Visit his Qigong Exercises blog for 170+ articles like this and for your free Qigong Exercises.

Related Articles - Qigong, Qigong Exercises,

Email this Article to a Friend! Receive Articles like this one direct to your email box! Subscribe for free today!