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Escape the Worry Trap

Written by: Christen Murphy Resmo

Article Overview: 90% of the things we worry about will never happen. 10% is legitimate, showing that life does have real problems and may be met head on when we have eliminated senseless worries

Escape the Worry Trap

90% of the things we worry about will never happen.
10% is legitimate, showing that life does have real
problems and may be met head on when we have eliminated
senseless worries

If you are like most people, there is something that you have been anxious or upset about already today. It could be that you have worried about the same thing for days, weeks or months.

A certain amount of worry is necessary for your survival. You have a built-in level of awareness that is meant to keep you out of harm's way; but having too much anxiety is like keeping yourself on high alert at all times. While it is good to anticipate future hazards and prepare for them, it is not good to hold on to your anxiety or accept worry as a normal part of everyday living. When you keep yourself in the cycle of worrying, you end up draining your stores of natural energy. And too much worry can cause you to feel powerless rather than powerful. This leads to a feeling of being trapped rather than a feeling of having freedom to make changes.

You will know that you are worrying too much when you find yourself missing out on the joy of living. You might even experience physical symptoms caused by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders with ailments such as back pain, tension and recurring headaches.

"If the problem can be solved, there is no use worrying
about it. If the problem can't be solved, worrying will do
no good." ~ Buddhist Saying


Worry is Draining and Action is Exhilarating!

Worry can give you the illusion that you are actually doing something about the situation because you are spending so much time thinking about it. And yet worrying changes nothing really.

Here is what you can do to make changes for the better: Decide what parts of the situation you have control and influence over. Identify what you can do now and act upon the steps you CAN take.

In many cases you will spend less time and energy fixing a problem than the time and energy you spend feeling anxious about it. Some kind of positive step forward gives you the opportunity to have a sense of momentum again even when a situation is impossible to turn around immediately. Taking action and taking responsibility are two ways to reclaim your power. Step by step action will help you work your way out of a problematic situation while worrying keeps you stuck in it.

"A cartload of worry won't pay an ounce of debt."
~Old Italian proverb

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Re: Stay happy everyone - Thanks for that Evan, your post reminded me of that song 'Don't Worry Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin which I was shocked to learn was a hit in 1988, seems like yesterday, regards, Mal.
Ladies Who Launch Profile: Heidi Flammang - Heidi Flammang Top Dog, Camp Bow Wow When one of the country's first doggy day cares opened next door to her dad's business, Heidi Flammang and her husband, Bion, would sneak over to hang out with the dogs. They fell in love with the concept—and the dogs—and were soon making trades of services with the owner to have their own dogs stay there. When the owner of that business wasn't interested in franchising, Heidi and her husband started brainstorming and the business plan for Camp Bow Wow was born. They were searching for their first location when Bion was killed in a plane crash, in 1994. Heidi received a $1 million insurance settlement after his death, and in the following years attempted a number of ventures, including a financial consulting business to help others handle sudden wealth. But Camp Bow Wow was never far from her mind. In 2000, with the help and encouragement of her brother, she dusted off that old business plan and set out to bring her and Bion's dream to life. Within weeks she had found her first location, and from that point on she never looked back. Camp Bow Wow has now sold more than 205 franchises, 125 of which will be open by the end of the year. It is the premier upscale doggy day care and boarding company, and is expected to generate $18 million in systemwide sales in 2008. What we learned from Heidi: To persevere and never lose sight of your dreams. Heidi was a young widow who tried financial consulting, pharmaceutical sales, and launching a high-end baby-bedding catalog before coming full circle to find success with the idea that she'd loved all along. Not Just Fun and Games "A lot of people come into this business thinking how fun it's going to be to hang out with dogs all day. But we are taking care of people's furry children, all day and night, 365 days a year! 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