Worry is rooted in fear and the desire to control outcomes, yet it only deepens our sense of powerlessness and disconnection, ultimately preventing us from fully embracing the natural flow of life and the lessons it brings. To overcome worry, we must shift our energy toward trust, acceptance, and awareness, letting go of the illusion of control and accepting life as it unfolds.
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Why worry? Because of fear. Fear manifests in countless shades of gray — a numbing palette that dims a sunny day or deepens the gloom of an overcast sky. When fear takes the form of worry, it becomes especially tragic.
Worry is rooted in a sense of powerlessness and victimhood that can permeate our very core. It will gladly take up residence in our hearts if we allow it. By worrying, we place our trust in our distrust of everything.
In our negative, fear-driven culture, we worry about nearly everything: money, education, sex, health, politics, the environment, the planet, the unknown — whether in the skies above or beneath the surface of the earth. We worry about wars, vaccines, chemtrails, waking, sleeping, living, dying, making a difference, our souls, our bodies, the afterlife, even what to do if we win the lottery.
But what is worry, really? We don’t seem to function well with it. We survive, yes, but surviving is not the same as thriving. Not even close.
Worry is a symptom of our belief in the linear, controlled nature of life. It offers a false sense of grounding while ultimately paralyzing us. It’s about trying to control everything — our feelings, our outcomes, our experiences — all because we fear the pain that could come from losing control.
We. Fear. Pain. Yet, we place far too much faith in its potential for misery, trying to control everything to avoid it. The tragedy is that the human spirit does not respect control. Not in the slightest.
We believe that if we don’t control our thoughts, we’ll lose our minds, our choices, our peace. If we don’t control our children, they’ll spiral out of control. If we don’t control our finances, we’ll go bankrupt. If we don’t control our relationships, they’ll fall apart.
If we don’t control the world around us — through war, trade, or propaganda — others might gain influence, and that is simply unacceptable.
Control, at best, is a harmful illusion, both internally and externally. Fortunately, we can learn to mitigate its extremes. By raising awareness and unlearning or breaking outdated patterns, we can detach from the need to control and instead engage in the flow of life.
Worry, like all emotions, is a barometer — it signals that something needs our attention. Where did this worry come from? Who does it belong to? What do I gain from holding on to it?
To worry less, we must shift our focus to trusting the natural flow and timing of things. Life happens. It is in a constant state of change. Life is immeasurable. Life simply is.
Love your life.
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“Substance (Dance Pop Remix)” from Fleshwound Restitched