Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. I seem to be overwhelmed with worry, especially in todayâs world. There is so much going on! How do I fight these feelings of worry? I donât think Iâm alone on this!
A. Worry can grip our lives. Thatâs a simple truth. That is a challenge, but the bigger challenge is what to do with that worry. As we age, worry can cross over to an unhealthy level, and so I am encouraged to see you are aware of your feelings. There are studies and statistics that illustrate how worry affects our bodies and minds. But letâs focus on overcoming worry. I have a simple system I call the ASK system. The ASK system is an acronym for Acknowledge, Share, and Kick. Sounds silly, but it works! Youâve done the first step, which is to ACKNOWLEDGE your worry. As you recognize your worry, you are calling it what it is. Itâs kind of like facing the neighborhood bully. Look at worry straight in the âeye.â Next SHARE it with someone. When you share your burdens with a friend, it makes it easier to navigate through it. Talk through your concerns and youâll sense the internal stress turning down a few notches. Finally, KICK it out! Yes, kick it out of your mind! Remove worry with the truth. Often, our worries are inflated and appear larger than life. Once you acknowledge and share your worries, toss them out and replace them with a positive thought that reflects truth. Truth gives way to peaceful thinking. Finally, you might have to repeat the process more than once. We are creatures of habit, but now you have a tool to start a new habit!
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