Overcome Your Personal Worry Movie

I’ve always found that one of the easiest pieces of advice to give someone is, “don’t worry.”

I’ve also always found that one of the most difficult things for me to do is…not worry.

Sort of like surgery: it might be “minor surgery” but only when it’s someone else’s. It’s never minor when being done on us or someone we love.

There are so many fantastic sayings regarding this topic, aren’t there? “Worry is interest on a debt not owed.” Another favorite of mine, most often credited to Mark Twain is, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”

So true!

Yet, we’re human. And, we worry.

Related Article: Worry

In his excellent new book, Worry No More!, transformation life and business coach and podcaster—not to mention, marathon runner—Bruce Van Horn defines worry as: “Using your imagination to create images of what you do not want to see and/or events you do not want to occur.”

He’s not actually saying that we should never worry. After all, there are times when worrying can be helpful; those instances when it is constructive and serves to put us on a more correct path. Mostly, however, it’s quite counterproductive and often tormenting; robbing us of the joy and peace of mind that is our natural state.

Without going into his methodology for overcoming worry, it’s very helpful to understand his premise. Basically, “Worry is a movie {we create in our} mind, complete with detailed settings, and talented actors who perform their parts perfectly and convey all of the emotions the movie director has told them to use.” He continues, “You are the movie director and the entire cast and production crew are simply acting out the parts you have scripted for them.”

Makes sense, doesn’t it? Now, getting the mind of the director correct, that’s where it all begins. And, in this book, the author does a fantastic job in that department.

Meanwhile, as Bobby McFerrin would say, “Don’t worry, be happy.”

Sure, Bobby. Easy for you to say!