Being a Worry Wort can cause some serious issues

“I am an old man and I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened” –  Mark Twain

The stats vary … 95% 92% 85% 40% … of what we worry about never actually happens. I heard a quote on the radio the other day that 95% of what we worry about never actually happens.
I am a worrier for sure.
I play many scenarios in my head and get upset for no reason. And yup, most of those scenarios never actually become reality.
After hearing the 95% stat I decided to research it and that’s when I found various percentage stats …
Regardless of the number most of our worries never actually happen.
Statistics coming out of 12 Techniques to Stop Worrying (I couldn’t find an attribution to the stats):

• 40% never happens.
  
• 30% of what we worry about has already happened.
  
• 12% are needless worries.
  
• 10% are petty and unimportant.
  
• 8% of what we worry about actually happens. Of this percentage…
  
• 4% of our worries that happen are beyond our control.
  
• 4% of what we worry about we have some if not all control over the results.
  
  

Worrying can cause some serious problems. This post lists some major issues: stress reactions worry excites flood the brain with stress hormones.  This makes us prone to disease and emotional problems.  Stress hormones also debilitate higher brain function, dampening memory, the capacity to learn and the ability to sustain peak performance.  Seniors who worry are twice as likely to develop dementia. Worry is also the threshold to clinical depression.
So how do we stop worrying, especially about the make believe?
In the blog post: 12 Techniques … it lists some ways to stop worrying and begin some healthier habits:

• Prepare for the worst – Hope for the best
  
• Get Busy
  
• Distract Yourself
  
• Get Support
  
• Make a Decision
  
• Confront the Problem Head-On
  
• Practice Relaxing
  
• Listen to CDs
  
• Journal
  
• Take Care of Yourself
  
• Count Your Blessings
  
• Monitor Your Thoughts
  
  

I want to add my own items to the list of developing healthier habits:

• Exercise
  
• Practice yoga
  
• Learn to meditate
  
• Talk to a therapist
  
• Talk it out with a friend/partner
  
• Volunteer
  
• Focus energy on a cause that needs you (food bank, school, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, etc.)
  
• Eat healthy
  
• Limit alcohol intake
  
• Treat yourself to mani/pedi, massage, facial …
  
  

The Quote Garden has some great quotes about worrying and should give you at least one a-ha moment.

If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.  ~E. Joseph Cossman