WHERE WE TALK ABOUT WORRY AND CONCERN
Are you there?
Yes, we are here.
Today, I would like to talk about worry and concern.
Is there something specific that you are worried or concerned about?
No, not really. I’ve just been considering lately how much time, how much mental energy we expend worrying about things in our lives. Worrying about things that have happened, that are happening, or that may happen in the future. Worrying about people or events that could alter the status quo, disrupt it, ruin it, cause us pain. It seems a little crazy to me at times, all this worrying.
It is crazy, if by crazy you mean remaining unfocused on the precious gifts that this life has to offer and instead focusing on “bad things” that may or may not happen. If that is what you mean by crazy, then yes, we agree, it does seem a little crazy.
It reminds me of a little story I heard once. There’s this guy who lives in a beautiful city and everything about this city is just fantastic: luxurious houses and apartments, fabulous restaurants, spectacular theaters, glamourous stores, the best hospitals, police force and fire department, and weather that is mild and sunny and gorgeous every day of the year. Everything about this beautiful, shining city is right out of a dream, except for one thing – a pothole. A pothole right on the street where this guy lives. He knows it makes no sense, given how great his city is, but for some reason, this guy can’t take his mind off this pothole. He’s obsessed by it. Thinks about it constantly. “Everything really would be 100% perfect if it were not for that stupid darn pothole!” In the end, he spends so much of his time worrying about the pothole in the street that he misses out on all of the wonderful things his great city has to offer. Whenever I become really focused on something that I am worrying about, I think of this story and realize just how ridiculous we can be sometimes, with all the terrific things in the world around us and all we think about are the potholes of the world.
It all boils down to fear in the end, does it not? As we explained during our discussion on anger and frustration, all of these low-energy emotional states are actually variations of fear and worry is no exception.
It does seem pretty clear in the case of worry, because most of the time we are worrying about bad things that we’re afraid might happen. And somehow, we think that if we worry long enough and hard enough, these bad things won’t happen.
Worry is basically an attempt to create something that you do not want.
What? Say that again.
Worry is an attempt to create something that you do not want.
I would think that worry is an attempt to PREVENT something that we do not want.
You would think that it would be so, but that is not how things work, as you very well know. Whatever you put your attention to, that is what increases, that is what you create, regardless of whether you want it or not. The Universe does not compute like or dislike, yes or no, this but not that. It only delivers what you are focused on, even if it is something that you do not want. We’re not saying that you are consciously trying to create things you do not want, but instead of preventing something “bad” from happening, worry actually focuses your attention, consciously or unconsciously, on the event or situation that you do not want and signals to the Universe, “Bring me more of this.” That is why we say that worry – or focused attention, for that is what worry is, fear-based attention – that is why we say that worry is an attempt to create something that you do not want.
OK. But what about this friend of mine who is a great worrier, worries all the time about all kinds of things and none of them ever seem to happen to her. If everything that she had worried about over the course of her life had manifested, her life would be a complete mess. And yet she seems pretty happy.
Except for the fact that she worries all of the time, so actually, not all that happy. In truth, your friend may be a worrier, but she is not giving enough sustained focus or attention to those things that she does not want for her to build creative momentum and that is why she is not manifesting those unwanted things for herself.
But couldn’t you say then that it’s possible to worry about something and in the process, prevent the thing that you fear as long as you don’t worry about it too much. Isn’t that what you are saying?
No, that is not what we are saying. What we are saying is that thought is creative. It is an ongoing process that never stops. It is a natural part of who you are. You are a creator, not an “un-creator.” You do not use your thoughts to NOT create something. That makes no sense given who you really are.
Yes, of course. I see.
What we are wanting you to understand is that, while worrying is a very common fear-based thought mechanism, it is not the best way to create things in your life. That is illustrated in the pothole story that you have told. The point of that story, we believe, is that worry distracts your mind from the pleasant and joyful experiences you could be creating and enjoying if you were to simply shift your attention to appreciating the wonderful things around you. By worrying, all you will create is more potholes. This is not a new concept for you. We have been talking about it together since we began this blog. All that we wish for you is peace, happiness and joy. Worry is the opposite of those things. Worry is fear. That is all it is. You can rationalize your use of it in any way that you like, but ultimately, it is counter-productive to the creative process and disruptive to your own desire for a joyful life.
You are about to tell me that this is why we have come to the physical plane, why we have incarnated. To find our way to a joyful life by learning, or should I say remembering, that we are joy, that we are love, and that fear in all of its forms, including worry, is nothing more than an opportunity to remember who we really are. How am I doing?
Excellent. So, don’t worry. Be happy!
Thank you all.
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