Show What if worrying Robert J. J Kriegel PhD Ph.D. Contributing Writer Worrying is the negative national pastime Everybody does docs it and few find it a positive experience You dont don't think clearly clearly clearly clear clear- ly or perform well your main focus is the worry the fear of What might happen if It overwhelms you makes you feel depressed reduces your energy and slows down your work Worry leads to st stress ess In fact the Pain Report the first national study on 01 pain paio in America documented that h t more people 24 18 24 are likely to suffer stress and pain than any adult age group Most of what we worry about is out of our control We cant can't control traffic roommates or future events The more we worry the worse everything get Remember this rule of thumb You cant can't control oth other r people or external situations But you can control how well you prepare for and respond to them Concentrate your energy on what you can change rather than dwell on things you cant can't control Get into the habit of anticipating prior to any pressure situation whether its it's an exam an interview or a date Make a worry list then change each worry what if to anticipation Leaving your worries behind by focusing on what you can control enables you to concentrate your energy and perform at peak levels |