Holding a heavy object can result in physical strain and exhaustion. Holding on to your troubles, wrestling with an issue, and focusing on all that seems to be going wrong, can be equally exhausting. Just by putting down your physical burden, there is relief. Putting down your emotional burdens doesn’t seem to be as easy, but when you learn to let them go, you will also get relief.
“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.”
John Lubbock
You may notice that you pick that worry back up (out of habit), and you will have to make a point to let it go again, over and over, as necessary, and affirm that worrying about something is essentially praying for what you don’t want. There are ways to help you release your worries and concerns, such as talking to a trusted friend, writing the problems down and then tearing the paper into tiny pieces or burning them or even putting the list of concerns into a ‘worry box’ or ‘prayer box’ and leaving them there. Whenever you find yourself stressed out, remind yourself that you have left your problems in the box and now you have energy to focus on things you can actually do something about.
“Worry, doubt, fear, and despair are the enemies which slowly bring us down to the ground.”
Douglas MacArthur
As you practice allowing yourself to relax and no longer allowing your problems to steal all your time and energy, you will feel lighter, more hopeful, and better able to find real solutions, rather than worrying uselessly. You will be more open to possibilities and opportunities because you have changed your focus and have let go of the negative thoughts and feelings that have been weighing you down.
“The day you stop worrying will be the first day of your new life; anxiety takes you in circles, trust in yourself and become free.”
Leon Brown
The Weekly Post 