Our Days in the Sun: Kicking the Worry Habit

     Always on the look-out for precious moments, I caught one this morning while the dogs and I were strolling through the park. The rising sun blinded us to the vehicles coming into the overflow parking lot by the park which serves the high school. We waited as a big SUV passed by. As it turned in front of us,

Emily - A Watercolor by Donna

I saw my beautiful angel granddaughter, Emily, behind the wheel, my first time to see her driving since she got her license last week. My heart did a little flip and the dogs and I scrambled over to greet her. We walked her to the path, hugged goodbye, and as she set off for her day and I for mine, I was left bathed in love. I had been listening to Barbara Streisand'sMemories from Cats on my Ipod where the poor ancient cat laments that all she has left are her memories of her days in the sun. I had been thinking about the fact that we are living our "days in the sun" when I saw Emily. It seems essential to our well being that we revel in them. Several of my clients cancelled their coaching appointments with me this week because they had not taken the steps forward to which they had committed. They were stalled by self pity, worry, and anxiety.

     It is easy to fall prey to the paralyzing effects of worry.To worry is to torment one's self with disturbing thoughts. When we are in a state of anxiety and worry it is hard to appreciate the gifts in life, let alone the precious moments. In Mallika Chopra's book, Living with Intent, she confesses that, "I spin the busyness into chaos by worrying about the future and rehashing the past...could it be that my concern about an unbalanced life is a self-created myth-one I perpetuate by overdramatizing the bad things and under appreciating the good?" I think the answer is "yes" to Mallika and it goes for my clients as well. They are in the worry habit.

Emily and Blaze

     Next week I am speaking on "Growing Happiness" to 85 moms. I'm going to remind them of the power of positive habits, that our behavior is a reflection of our thoughts, and that our brains like the status quo. In order to break the dreadful cycle of worry, we must decide to either change our attitude(move to gratefulness), ourbeliefs (I'm lucky to be alive in America!), or our actions (I'm taking steps forward today!)

     We can grow happiness by changing our ways, by learning to say "no" when necessary; by "eating the big frog first" which means to do the chore you hate the most first; to stop procrastinating. Another way is to eliminate meaningless time stealers, and to clear your mind before you go to bed by making a list of what needs to be done the next day instead of troubling your sleep with it. It is possible to be happier, to experience the joy of our days in the

Savoring one's Precious moments.  Em and Elizabeth

sun, but worry and anxiety will rob us of the exhilaration of seeing that smile on a young girl's face, or catching the sweetness of certain moments, if we let them. This is our time, let's keep our happiness tanks full to the brim! 

I'd love to hear what you think. My best, donna