In Embracing Uncertainty, Susan offers this exercise to help us get past the ‘what if’ fears and stop worrying.
THE I’LL WORRY TOMORROW EXERCISE
The attempt to control the future and the demand to be in charge of everything in our lives sentences us to a daily existence obsessed with life-numbing worry. Many of us have attained the dubious title of “professional worrier”. It seems as though it is our job to worry! Does the following example bear any resemblance to the way you think?
You are going on a long-awaited vacation. Your joy is marred by the multitude of things you are choosing to worry about…your computer being stolen, getting sick in unfamiliar territory, the plane being late, the hotel room being horrible, and whatever else you can think of that would destroy the experience of your trip. Sometimes it feels better just to stay home! Oh, if we could only think of it as a wonderful adventure…no matter what happens!
Even if things are going terrifically well, the mind of a professional worrier can always find something to worry about.…This is because thoughts of potential future disaster immediately step in to take away the good feelings. It is a given that, when they have nothing to worry about, professional worriers invariably create something to worry about. To end this madness, we need to find a way to turn the worry off. The “I’ll Worry Tomorrow” Exercise can be the very thing we need to turn the worry off.
I have used this exercise very effectively for many situations in my life. It came to me as I was sitting at my desk worrying about the sale of our house. We wanted something smaller and the real estate market was good. My mind was driving me crazy with thoughts such as, “Where will we go when the house actually sells?” “Will we find another house that is just as satisfying as this one?” “Will we be able to sell our house at the price we want to get for it?” “Maybe no one will want it?” I laughed as I realized that I was worried that the house would sell…and I was also worried that the house wouldn’t sell! Talk about creating a lose-lose situation in your mind!
I finally said to myself…
“I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
And it worked! I felt my heart lighten. I felt worry-free for the entire day. And it has continued to work. Little by little, I am learning to repeat this simple thought about everything that tends to cause me worry…health, money, the happiness of my children, and so on.
We are often told not to put anything off until tomorrow if it can be done today. We now have at least one big exception to that rule…WORRY. I give you permission, just in case you feel you need it, to put off all your worry until tomorrow. It goes like this…
Monday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Tuesday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Wednesday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Thursday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Friday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Saturday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Sunday…repeat over and over again. “I won’t worry about anything today. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
Amazing! Seven worry-free days! And the last time I looked, there are only seven days of the week! If you do this for every week of your life, you have created a worry-free life. I know that this sounds very simplistic, but once you get the hang of it, you will find your life being dramatically uplifted since nothing will be able to pull you down…until tomorrow, which, of course, never comes.