Try Not To Worry About Worrying

Our genetic code predisposes us to be pretty hypervigilant. We overestimate danger in order to be on the safe side of things. But our modern environment is so much safer than our ancestral home for which we were designed! So, we often worry that our worries are in fact disproportionate: that we are catastrophizing, exaggerating, being overly pessimistic or just plain illogical. One of the things we worry about is that we contradict ourselves. We’re sad and happy, afraid and peaceful, depressed and energetic, competitive and caregiving, aggressive and compassionate… often all in the same day! What is one to do? The first thing we do is accept with equanimity. We can cultivate useful mentalities: calmness or feelings of safety; curiosity and an orientation of inquiry; patience and perseverance; humour and creativity in everyday life. Practicing this, worrying about being a worrier might just become something we no longer care to worry about!