What’s in this issue:
💭 Thought: Techniques to interrupt worry
😆 Today’s Laugh
P.S. Happy belated Valentine’s Day! ❤️
💭 Today’s Thought
According to Brené Brown and fellow researchers, worry is “a chain of negative thoughts about bad things that might happen in the future.”
It’s not an emotion.
Instead, what we actually feel when we worry is often fear.
And while we’re convinced that these negative thoughts help us — by protecting us from future loss, failure, or pain — they are never actually helpful. Worrying always leaves us feeling disconnected with ourselves, with others, and with whatever is happening in the present moment, because we’re actively living in a fictitious future.
But how to actually stop worrying? The key for me has been to notice when it’s happening and give myself both perspective and presence. Here’s one technique to help you experience each of these.
Fact vs. Interpretation
This technique gives you perspective.
Draw a chart like the one below, and for the situation that’s leading you to worry, write down at least three observable, objective facts about it. Then, write down at least three interpretations you’re making about those facts.
What do you notice?
Physical Sensation
This technique gives you presence.
Give yourself some kind of physical sensation for about 10 seconds and really pay attention to it. I prefer one of these:
Deep belly breathing while closing my eyes
Rubbing my finger tips together
Wiggling my toes
When we bring our attention to our bodies, our thoughts have no choice but to be interrupted and we have no choice but to be truly in the present moment. And this immediate presencing often brings with it a sense of calm, from which you can more creatively choose how to think and act.
A question to ponder: How can you spend as much of your precious life as possible living in the current moment, rather than in the future?
🖊️ Today’s Reflection
If you’re new to journaling, I highly encourage you to read Nancy Adler’s article: Want to be an outstanding leader? Keep a journal.
This week, find a quiet place and gift yourself 10 minutes to reflect on any of these prompts (or invent your own!):
What is it to be present?
What happens to you when you worry? What happens to those around you?
When you worry, what are you trying to avoid feeling? What are you trying to protect yourself from?
📚 Today’s Read
To Solve a Tough Problem, Reframe It
“Research shows that companies devote too little effort to examining problems before trying to solve them. By jumping immediately into problem-solving, teams limit their ability to design innovative solutions.” Click here for the five-step approach leaders can take to enhance their definition and framing of a problem, which in turn enhances their group’s collective outcomes.
See you next week!
xo,
Anne