Worrying vs Planning

Ever try to plan for something but end up in a worry spiral instead? You're not alone. Planning and worrying have a sneaky way of feeling similar. We use both of them to deal with our anxiety about the future, but there are key differences between the two. Therapist Amanda White recently broke it down in an Instagram post. She wrote that worry is a lot like rumination. It's when we get hooked on negative thoughts and we focus on worst case outcomes without thinking about solutions. Planning, on the other hand, is all about problem solving. We brainstorm with a goal in mind, and we might imagine certain outcomes, but also solutions too. It's human to want to plan for something but spiral into worry instead. But when we know the difference between these two thought patterns, we can notice when we've crossed that line and we can gently guide ourselves away from worrying and into planning. Today, we'll try making this switch together. Let's get started. Find a position of rest and comfort. Close your eyes or soften your gaze and take a deep breath. In and out. Take another breath. In and out. Start to lengthen each breath and if you can, try to breathe in and out on a count of five. Let's try a few breaths together. In, two, three, four, five. Out, two, three, four, five. In, two, three, four, five. Out, two, three, four, five. Maintain that rhythm and try to focus on your breath. If any thoughts pop up, thank them for their input and gently return to your breath. I'll give you some time to practice on your own. Great job. Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm. Now, bring your awareness to your mind, that space where your thoughts and feelings live and allow something that has been worrying you to come up. Try to find something specific and be gentle with yourself as you call it to mind. Make sure it's something that you're comfortable working with today. I'll give you a moment to reflect. Start to notice the feeling that comes with this worry and let's just explore it for a moment without judgment. What would you name this feeling? Where does it live in your body? If it were a color, what would it be? Take a moment to get curious with it. On your next breath in, thank your brain for these feelings. They are useful information. They are preparing you for the future and keeping you safe. On your next exhale, imagine breathing out the feeling and letting it disappear into the air around you. Now, return to the worry in your mind. Take a moment to imagine a different future where this event has passed or this problem is solved. What does it look like? Beautiful job. Now, let's imagine backwards. What are you able to do to build this future? It might be an action you take or a person you...