S1E03: Energies
If there is one thing that is true about everyone in this day and age, it is that we are all worriers. We, each of us, are guilty of worrying about too many things.
We worry about succeeding in school or work.
We worry about how we look.
We worry about what others think of us.
We worry about things other people do do.
We worry about things going wrong.
We even worry about things going right because it might mean things change.
Oh yeah, we worry about change.
I could go on, but I don't want to. You get the point. I bet you can think of a long list of things that you are worrying about right now. So, do it. Make that list. Write it down even. I want to show you something.
A great teacher once taught me a simple, yet profound and glorious lesson. It was taught in a religious setting, when I was preparing to be a full-time proselyting missionary, but the lesson applies to every part of life.
My teacher asked the group what we were worrying about. What was causing us stress.We made a list on the board. He made us get specific; we weren't allowed to say general things like family or being successful.
If you are making a list, make sure you are detailed.
My teacher then asked us to list all of the things that we were expected to do, big and small. For missionaries, that list was not normal, but some things are the same.
Here are some things that I would put on my list today:
-get proper sleep
-prepare food for myself
-manage my money (pay yourself by putting money aside and don't spend what you don't have)
-hygiene-clean room, clean house, clean kitchen
-drive to work
-do my job
-make time for friends
-make time for family
-develop a hobby
-strengthen a talent
-pay bills
-exercise for 20 minutes a day
-read
-practice a language
-recycle & reuse
-study the scriptures
-pray every day
-keep emergency kits handy
-go outside every day
We were promised that we would learn our mission language, that we would be inspired, and guided. Our families would be protected and blessed in our absence. Above all, that we would be strengthened and aided in our endeavors.
We then went back to our list of worries and had to match them to something in one of the two new lists.
Here's the thing that blew our minds: not a single one of our worries could be categorized under the list of things that were our responsibility. All of them fell under the umbrella of things that God promised HE would do.
Our teacher then told us simply:
"Stop worrying about things that are out of your control. Put your energies into the things that you CAN control, and everything else will fall into place." So, whether you believe in God or not, it is still a lesson for us all.
When we focus our energies on things that we can't control—like other people's behavior, our grades, our business success, or outcomes in general—we are putting unneeded stress on ourselves.
Of course, there ARE things we can do to INFLUENCE all of those things, but in the end, they are not completely within our power to control. So why WORRY?
Don't tell me you forgot the words of Bobby McFerrin, the wisest songwriter ever!
Stress causes anxiety, depression, poor sleeping habits, poor physical health. It de-motivates and it makes you doubt yourself, your wisdom, and your choices.
We worry about things that we think might happen instead of focusing on doing everything we can to produce a good outcome.
We worry about what people MIGHT say or do before we ever say our part. We create conversations in our heads without giving that person the opportunity to listen to us and prove that they understand. We make decisions without including them.
Our time gets filled with things that add to our stress, and we spend less time doing things that broaden our talents.
I try to live my life for me. I can't waste my time torturing myself with "what ifs" and "maybes".
I believe that if we use our time for the best things, then we will live life to the fullest, and we will be able to face whatever comes at us.
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