Overcoming Worry & Doubt Archives - Page 36 of 39

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018

Two Ways to Stop Stress & Worry

April is Stress Awareness Month

Stress happens. But it doesn’t have to last. Here are two of my favorite tools for overcoming worry and negative thinking.

Loving-Kindness Practice

The loving-kindness practice Buddhists call metta calms your mind, opens your heart to goodness and love, and helps you know the positive power within your true self. The practice also asks for the healing of your fears, worries, and negative thinking so you can serve others’ growth.

1. Read the words aloud, pause, and then read them again.

May I be at peace. May my heart remain open.

May I awaken to the light of my own true nature.

May I be healed. May I be a source of healing for all beings.

2. With one or more of your loved ones in mind, say the prayer again changing I to you: May you be at peace. May your heart….

3. Next, change you to we: May we be at peace….

4. Now use the May you version of the prayer for a person you feel is causing you worry, frustration, or pain.

5. Whenever you have a negative thought about anything, repeat the phrases of loving-kindness and notice how you begin to respond differently.

The Activity of God, by Sig Paulson, Daily Word (Unity)

I repeat this affirmation whenever I feel trapped by worry or stress. It reminds me my negative thoughts are making my problems appear bigger than they are; and these appearances are just that, figments of my overactive imagination. It shrinks my fears by reminding me of who I truly am: an individual expression of positive loving power.

The activity of God is the only power

At work in my mind, heart, and life.

All false beliefs, all negative appearances

Are dissolved right now

By the loving, forgiving action of God.

I am whole, strong, and free

As God created me to be.

First, you assert your positive power is supreme, that it’s bigger than your past wounds, stronger than your worries and fears, and it’s wiser than your intellect. This benevolent power is the only one you want to influence your life.

In the second section, you claim your loving power dissolves your negative beliefs and fearful imaginings. (I love the image of dissolving; I see it as washing out, softening, and reducing the sludge-like fears and worries of my mind.)

In this same sentence, you encounter the words, forgiving action of God. This forgiveness doesn’t refer to sin or any other dogma. It simply means releasing the negative thoughts and actions that separate you from others.

You claim the truth of who you are in the last sentence; not the person you may present to the world, but your true self, endowed with positive power, whole, strong and free.

Gigi Langer is a former “queen of worry.” She’s also an educator, speaker, and author of 50 Ways to Worry Less Now: Reject Negative Thinking to Find Peace, Clarity, and Connection, published in February, 2018. “Langer’s frank and empathetic tone will comfort readers, as will the practical steps she teaches.” (Featured Book, BookLife by Publishers Weekly)

April 4, 2018November 20, 2018

Why Willpower Just Isn’t Enough

willpower, worry less now — self will run riot

Sheer Willpower Can’t Bring Happiness

How well has trying to control others worked for you? Do you believe you can impose the changes you’d like to see in the world? Perhaps you’ve tried and failed to change even your own behavior.

When you honestly admit your personal willpower can’t fulfill your desires, a wondrous alternative appears. I call it positive power: a source of courage and hope that is greater than your fears, worries, or perceived limitations.

I had my first inkling of a positive power after a meditation teacher suggested that I sit quietly, observe my thoughts, and then ask myself, “Right now, who is watching my thinking?” The question stopped me in my tracks. I wondered, “If I am my thoughts—which I believed up until that point—how could another part of me be observing them?” And, yet, there I was, watching my mind be amazed by this astounding idea. For the first time, I realized there must be some part of me that is greater than my thoughts.

Studies reveal that believers in such a power are happier than those who don’t believe. They can find peace and direction, no matter what’s going on in their lives (Stephanie Castillo, Prevention, May 7, 2013).

How each of us comes to understand this power is highly personal and our business only. Thus, I won’t suggest you worship any particular spiritual entity, religion, dogma, or philosophy. In the exercise below, you’ll define this source in a way that works for you.

Regardless of what you call it, you will come to understand this power more and more. To claim the benefits of positive power, try the tools offered in my blog and book (50 Ways to Worry Less Now).

Time for Action! Name Your Positive Power

1. Take a minute to ponder what kind of power could bring goodness into your life.

2. Read the common names for a source of a positive power below. Pause to notice which ones, if any, feel right for you.

3. Select a few names that work for you. Circle them, write them down, or hold them in your heart.

4. If your past taught you to be fiercely independent, it may take a while to trust this power. But stick with it and you’ll reap the rewards.

Abba	Energy	Inner Guide	Providence
Adonai	God (Good Orderly Direction)	Healer	Ram
Allah	Great Spirit	Jesus /Jehova	Shiva
Angels	Guardian Angel	Light	Sophia (feminine deity)
Being	Healing Energy or Resonance	Mary	Source
Buddha	Higher Power	Nature’s Perfection	Tao
Christ, Holy Spirit	Higher Self	Oneness	True Self
Courage	Holy Father	Perfect Order	Wisdom
Divine Mind	Infinite/Universal Intelligence	Positive Attitudes and Beliefs	Yahweh

To connect with this power, try some of the tools in my other blog posts. Or, write a comment here about some of your own favorite tools.

The Positive Power of Healthy Others

Where two or more are gathered in loving purpose, amazing things happen. Researcher Brené Brown found that people who cope well with hardship, stress, or trauma believe they are “connected to each other by a power greater than all of us.”

Kindness from others who hold no agenda other than goodness is a powerful force for healing. In fact, that’s the way many of us in Twelve-Step programs first felt this benevolent force. The people there had no selfish motives; they saw beyond my shameful past into my true goodness. Their kind regard and wise words showed me a loving power I had never known.

You too can share your life challenges and solutions with positive people. Consider carefully what they say and how they live their lives. I suggest meeting weekly with one or two others who fit the characteristics listed here. Perhaps you could read my book or another that you find inspiring.

As you continue to meet, you’ll likely experience a positive power that will enable you to handle life’s challenges with peace and wisdom.

Gigi Langer holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. She is a seasoned author and popular speaker who has helped thousands of people improve their lives at home and work. Gigi hasn’t had a drug or drink for over 30 years, although she does occasionally overindulge in Ghirardelli chocolate and historical novels.

Her new book, 50 Ways to Worry Less Now (available here from Amazon & e-book vendors) has gained rave reviews:

“[A] valuable, heartfelt manual.” (Featured Book, BookLife by Publishers Weekly)

“Langer writes from both experience and expertise. A powerful tool for readers.” (Library Journal)

“Highly recommended for anyone who worries too much, lives too hard a life, and searches for a better way.” (Midwest Book Review)

“Gigi Langer’s honesty will blow you away! It is beautifully written; filled with humor and authenticity.” (Member of Al Anon)

March 19, 2018

Video: How to Stop Your Negative Thinking

Most negative thinking isn’t true. So, why let it trouble us?

SCRIPT FOR VIDEO: My [negative] thoughts are based on past experiences and future predictions–all of which have been reinterpreted by my brain in a fictional way . . . really! My brain created this scenario in the future, and it hasn’t even happened. My brain created this thing about the past and has “awfulized” it.

So first, don’t trust a thought. You know, espectially when we’re tense, our thinking is whacked. So the first thing: “Oh, Okay; this thought I’m thinking doesn’t have to be the one I stick with.” Okay?

So, then, 4. The decision: I’m gonna change my thinking. So, when I recognize that my thoughts are based on past experiences, just to give you an example: the Kindle (upload) thing. [I kept failing at it.] I hate failure. You know, I just hate failure

And here’s . . .Underneath each fear and worry is what I call in the book (and it’s a theme throughout) a Whispered Lie: “You’re going to screw up!” “You’re not going to look good!” You know. Or it could be a self-statement: “Oh, man! I’ll never be able to figure this out; I hate technology.” You know, all those lovely helpful things we tell ourselves. (Audience laughs)

So, all the techniques in the book are about dissolving those Whispered Lies so that hope, clarity, and good things can come in.

So, the first one we’re going to try is my favorite; it’s called the Golden Key. And it’s the simplest thing. The premise of all of these is that you have control over what your mind dwells on. You absolutely have a choice. And it’s a minute-by-minute (or sometimes a second-by-second) thing.

So, with the Golden Key, I’m gonna make a decision: Every time I have a negative thought or feeling about something (“Oh! I’m uploading that Kindle file tonight; it’s never gonna work!”), I’m going to gently replace it with a positive thought, or a prayer, or an inspiring image.

So, you get to choose what that is. For me, I’m gonna say, “All is well. Everything is in perfect order.” That’s something that works for me. For you it might be the Serenity Prayer, an image of a rose, um, a light . . . anything that connects you with some source of goodness bigger than your fear. Something that you can tell yourself or focus on that’s bigger than the fear. A source of good.

So think of what that might be for you. . . [The Video ends here; participants practice silently switching their thoughts from the negative to their positive phrase or image]

To read about Emmet Fox’s Golden Key technique, click here .

For more tips, buy 50 Ways to Worry Less Now at Amazon It’s been out for 3 weeks and gotten great reviews! I hope it helps you find peace, clarity, and connection as you free yourself from worry and negative thinking. Best of luck! – Gigi Langer, former “Queen of Worry”

Gigi Langer holds an MA in Psychology and PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. She is a seasoned author and popular speaker who has helped thousands of people improve their lives at home and work. Langer hasn’t had a drug or drink for over 30 years, although she occasionally overindulgeS in Ghirardelli chocolate and historical novels. Gigi lives happily in Michigan with her husband, Peter and her cat, Murphy.

February 27, 2018February 27, 2018

To Worry Less Now, Choose Love Over Fear

When I first entered therapy, I saw myself shrunken and powerless in the corner of a dark room filled with scary plastic objects. As time went on, that image changed. It was as if a bright light entered the room and dissolved all those fear-filled dark objects.

I believe that most of our worries, resentments, and pain are merely illusions, or as I call them, “Whispered Lies.” Fear jumps into the driver’s seat of our minds and starts projecting all kinds of problems to be solved. Mark Twain said it this way, “My life is a series of calamities, most of which never happened.”

Just take a moment and observe the content of your thoughts and how they resonate in your body. If you’re anything like me, it quickly becomes clear that we’re scaring the shit out of ourselves. And, just in case we need a little help, there’s always TV and its multitude of disasters (the past, present, and predicted).

It’s no wonder that so many of us live in a constant state of anxiety and tension. The modern term, which I might call a euphemism, is “stress.” This state is so universal, that, if you stopped 20 people on the street, most of them would say they wanted to have less fear and worry in their lives. And, if you really want to be disturbed, read about how stress and worry harm our health.

A Course in Miracles (and many other wisdom traditions) teach us that we can be in only two states of mind: fear or love. When we align ourselves with love, we’re at peace and feel at-one with God (universe, positive power) and with all others. When we’re in fear, however, we close our hearts to others.

Because our bodies are hard-wired to compete for what we see as a limited amount of love, money, and otherworldly goodies, fear is our default setting. But we don’t have to become a victim of our worries and negative thinking. It’s what we do next that matters: Do we seek a different way of seeing our troublesome situations?

It’s a simple choice, but it takes vigilance and practice. Just notice what you’re thinking about and, if it is making you tense, admit that to yourself. Then, gently turn your thoughts to something that gives you joy and peace. It might be a scene of nature, a prayer, or an affirmation. Then keep an eye out for when you revert to the “worry and fear channel.” Again, just notice what you’re thinking about and change it to something more positive or inspiring.

Emmet Fox gives directions for the “Golden Key” here. He wrote that when you consistently turn your thoughts away from fear and toward a source of positive power, whatever was bothering you before will be resolved. Try it, you’ll like it!

Gigi Langer is a former “queen of worry.” She’s also an educator, speaker, and author of 50 Ways to Worry Less Now! Coming out in February 2018, the new book contains 50 powerful tips to defeat negative thinking, find inner peace, and be happy. Gigi has a PhD from Stanford University.

Gigi Langer

Worry Less Now!

Category: Overcoming Worry & Doubt

Two Ways to Stop Stress & Worry

Why Willpower Just Isn’t Enough

Video: How to Stop Your Negative Thinking

To Worry Less Now, Choose Love Over Fear

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