Worrying Is Such A Waste Of Time
Everybody worries. Even Buddhist monks in peaceful monasteries spend their day trying to ward off the scourge of worry.
Buddhist monks ensure that they are put into situations that cause them to worry. In some situations a monk is required to beg for rice or money everyday in order to sustain themselves - then they return to the monestary where they meditate the rest of the day away.
I'm pretty sure after a day of begging in the streets - once I returned to shelter - I would not be looking forward to having to beg again the next day. Their path enlightenment is full of worry and doubt.
People in the western world have different worries for the most part. You might worry about losing your job - bur you've probably got a friend or relative to feed you or help you out. Our worries are usually disproportionate to the actual risk. Rather than dealing with life as it transpires - we can conjure up thousands of scenarios that never end up happening.
I catch myself worrying sometimes over the most ridiculous scenarios. Part of this could be my obsession with American newscasts - but most of it is just habit. Sometimes something bad happens - like a bad trip to the dentist. Sometimes we allow one freak incident to cause deep worry about what normally isn't a terrible experience . Worry to me is different than fear in the sense that when we worry we know what we are afraid of - whereas fear is associated with not knowing.
Taking life as it comes at you is how our ancestors lived for thousands of years. Our thoughts are usually where out worries are - and our thoughts are a byproduct of our brain - they arent the brain - they are more like exhaust from the back of a car. We dont need to "think" to do things. The whole point of thinking is to reflect so we can learn from our experience as well as create new ideas and plan future goals and activities. Any type of rumination or worry - really has no place in your brain.
If you think of the monk being able to beg for food everyday (sometimes the entire day until night) and compare it to your own reality - western worries usually are not this dire. What we share as human beings however is the ability to persevere difficult situations. Its instinctual in some of us - but in other it takes work. Erasing your worries by focusing on what is happening "right this second" is the only way to live a semi-fulfilled life. Worry leads to stress - which will just end up killing you anyway. I'm not a Buddhist but I practise with similar discipline to shut down my worry.
We all worry sometimes - just like we all sneeze. Its an involuntary reaction. We can't prevent it but we can control what happens afterwards. Most of us after a sneeze - get back to work and think nothing of it. This is what needs to happen with worry -you have to learn to just just let it go and get back to working.
Ryan Geddes is a writer and entreprenuer located in Toronto Canada. When he's not writing, hes helping with House&Canvas Furniture Paint.
Unfortunately, we are our own worst enemy at times, wasting so much energy worrying about what might be, instead of dealing with problems when they are at hand in your life. Some people can't help stressing themselves out because it is part of their personality.
I think everyone has the ability to stop worrying... its as simple as just stopping.. the problem is.. people become comfortable in their thinking and they don't want to change. Or they make changes - and then quit - like a fad diet!
it's "unfortunate" that we are our worst enemy at times, and the same time I believe it's our great fortune. We have to walk the path inwards - it's a path that nobody else can be made responsible of but ourselves.
Nice one @rgeddes
Someone once asked me;
Do you have a problem?...
And I said yes,
Can you solve it?
I said No, then he asked me why worry?,
I then changed my answer and said I can solve it, he said then why worry when you can solve it.
.
Life is simple; it will be boring and less interesting without one problem or the other, it's normal, so when it comes, don't worry, just look ahead.
That's my little contribution.
Thanks.. I agree.. Its freeing to 'watch it unfold" rather than trying to shape it. Of course you can make positive changes to alter your future - but those changes require work in our present first!
This is great advice for most people. There are some people on the opposite side of the spectrum though. I am one of those. I don't worry enough; therefore, I don't even think about the consequences of my actions. This is a huge downfall for me. It leads me into a lot of reckless acts. I give too much, and trust too much. I am who Buddhist monks are trying to become. They don't fully understand..... I wish I worried more. There is a balance somewhere in between where people should be. I have no real fear or worries. I believe that when I die I will become dirt and I have no fear of being dirt.
You leap before you look.. I wish I had the blind faith to be able to do that but i'm wired differently. We're all wired differently which is why I would say you should keep your individuality. Carelessness is different than worry - worry serves no purpose - it has no virtue. Faith on the other hand is very virtuous.
Very true. You pit it in a different perspective for me.
Good article, i can relate to this. Instead of worrying pray! It is the most powerful and helpful.
Good article, i can relate to this. Instead of worrying pray! It is the most powerful and helpful.
I can be a bit of a worrier, but it is wasted energy. Like you say it is not a voluntary feeling. Like you, I try to live to some Buddhist practices to help with the stresses of life. If we can use worry to form a more positive emotion, we would thrive much better :-)