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This made me think today

(61 Posts)
grannyqueenie Sun 10-Mar-19 23:01:34

We’ve all got our own worries, whether it’s concerns about the family, health issues or financial constraints. It’s only natural to think about these things and sometimes lose a bit of sleep in the process. Reading this today just reminded me of the importance of not missing the good things of today by wortying about what may, or equally may not, happen tomorrow. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m very aware that many folk are dealing with with huge issues and I wouldn’t want to minimise that in any way. A reminder to myself as much as anyone else!

OPgrndtr Mon 11-Mar-19 16:27:43

I have a quote from Emerson on a magnet on the fridge. I bought it for myself a few years ago, and it has helped.

finish each day and be done with it.
you have done what you could.
some blunders and absurdities have crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
tomorrow is a new day.
you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit
to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

minxie Mon 11-Mar-19 16:18:27

I’ve been through a horrid time since December, a friend suggested that I write three positive things down in my diary every day, however small
This has really helped especially when you read back. Some days I wrote, a lovely sunny day and I just had the most enormous fresh cream chocolate eclair
Try it Ladies, it may help

nanaK54 Mon 11-Mar-19 16:14:38

Once when my dear mum was still with us she said to one of her friends "I don't worry about anything at all I just ring one of my daughters and they sort out any problem for me"
Damn - I 'forgot' to have any daughters grin

Bathsheba Mon 11-Mar-19 14:38:04

I love that grannyqueenie! Thank you ?

showergelfresh Mon 11-Mar-19 14:15:10

Brilliant grannyqueenie
Thanks for that bit of wisdom or rather huge amount of wisdom.
xx
smile

CarlyD7 Mon 11-Mar-19 14:05:00

I definitely worry much less than I used to - basically because some awful things have happened in my life and through them I discovered that I am MUCH stronger and able to cope with things going wrong than I ever dreamed. I also remind myself: yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn't here yet; you are only guaranteed today - so enjoy it !

Jaycee5 Mon 11-Mar-19 13:15:34

I think if you are a worrier and you try not to worry then you worry about worrying. The problem is that it affects sleep and it is harder to keep things in perspective and keep clam when you are over tired.
My downstairs neighbour has rung me and asked me to go down this afternoon to talk again about our nightmare neighbour. He is 90 and I am seriously worried now that the stress of dealing with her is going to kill him as he has serious heart problems. Worrying about that won't help but it is what motivated me to contact the Council and tell them that we would sue them if they didn't start to deal with this. I also don't want to spend 2 hours helping him with the diary logs that we are now having to do for the third time.
I do often have to force myself to de-stress but I really don't think that people can just stop being worriers.

Nanny41 Mon 11-Mar-19 13:13:54

Grannyqueenie, this is lovely and inspirational.I am a worrier, and I often think of what somebody said once, cant remember who, " you die if you worry and you die if you dont,so why worrry at all" also very true and good to remember at four in the morning when sleep is far away.

Legs55 Mon 11-Mar-19 13:11:01

I have a card on my corkboard in the kitchen "Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday and all is well" I see this every morning when I make my 1st brew.

AmberMarie Mon 11-Mar-19 13:08:58

Very nice

Oldandverygrey Mon 11-Mar-19 13:05:24

My GP once said to me "you can worry a little or you can worry a lot the outcome will always be the same".

Gilly1952 Mon 11-Mar-19 13:02:42

My Dad used to say to me “Your Mother isn’t happy unless she has something to worry about!” She was a lovely, caring person but did used to worry such a lot! I, too, am a worrier but as so many people have said, although you can’t help it, worrying about problems doesn’t help. Four in the morning is an awful time when anything I may be concerned about seems much worse. We can’t help the way we are made - I’m too old to change now - and don’t particularly want to - it’s part of my caring nature!

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 11-Mar-19 13:02:20

All these wise words are so true, aren't they? I'm a life-long worrier but feel that as I've got older I've gained a bit more perspective on life which is helpful.
Her'e something I read recently - Forget the mistake, learn the lesson - which is apt.

Mairead Mon 11-Mar-19 12:31:48

Thanks for those wisewords - I needed them today as I am stranded in my living room because of having my main bedroom decorated etc. The whole flat is a mess and I can’t find anything!

Willow10 Mon 11-Mar-19 12:25:36

I have a postcard on my fridge which says -
'Worry is like a rocking horse. It keeps you busy but gets you nowhere!'

GabriellaG54 Mon 11-Mar-19 12:14:44

I don't worry. If something isn't right, goes wrong or needs sorting out then I do my best to fix it. If it's not do-able then I certainly don't worry. Worry is a useless stressor and companion and I keep all that kind of stuff firmly out of my life.

Luckylegs Mon 11-Mar-19 12:05:44

I so need to memorise this and repeat it daily! I am an inveterate worrier, “not happy until I find something to worry about” type. I like the saying ‘worrying is only caring by another name’*BradfordLass*.

Funnily enough, I AM going to singing this afternoon!

mummsymags Mon 11-Mar-19 11:56:44

My grandmother used to say 'Make up your mind - you can be a Worrier or a Warrior' I guess the message was you can either worry about something or do something about it. A bit misleading as I think we have more than two options but I'm sure she meant simply to galvanise us into doing something about a problem rather than just worry about it.

grandmaz Mon 11-Mar-19 11:41:47

Thank you grannyqueenie, I needed to read this today. I got up and took the dog out for a walk ...I didn't sing, but there's always tomorrow! x

Kim19 Mon 11-Mar-19 11:33:35

I try to keep myself busy as that seems to put 'worry' well on to the back burner for me.o

Brigidsdaughter Mon 11-Mar-19 11:22:30

Lovely.
I also like the lines from Desiderata.
It's getting a perspective in any way we can. Or at least try..

grannyqueenie Mon 11-Mar-19 10:14:20

I use that strategy too, Carolina, it can be surprisingly effective!

Anniebach Mon 11-Mar-19 10:11:40

‘Change the things you can’ is the Serenty Prayer and is part of Alchol Anonymous 12 steps

Grannybags Mon 11-Mar-19 10:05:03

I think it was Mark Twain that said 'I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened'

Carolina55 Mon 11-Mar-19 08:29:02

Interesting reading all the different ways of managing ‘worrying’!

After a lifetime of trial and error, I find that if I allow myself say half an hour of full-on worrying, the whole worst case scenario thing along with possible solutions/reactions etc., I can then put it to rest and get on with life, if only for a while.

Of course, the true response is the ‘ Change the things that you can, accept those you can’t and be wise enough to know the difference’ poem - a work in progress for me!