I try to avoid thinking. Why? Because thinking causes migraines, brain tumors and gets me into way too much trouble.

The Thought

People worry too much.

How much time and energy do we waste with worry?  A lot.

What do we worry about?

• Children
• Family
• Work
• School
• Money
• Time
• Health
• Technology
• Being Late
• Missing Something
• Forgetting Something

Mostly, we worry about life in general.

What’s The Worst That Can Happen?

You could die.

This is a thought exercise that I taught myself when I worried about everything. It helps me to see how ridiculous some of my worries are and to laugh at myself.

Here is the process.  What is the worst that can happen if:

1. I am late for school?                  I could miss a major test or assignment.
2. I miss a test or assignment?     I flunk out of school.
3. I flunk out of school?                I cannot find a job.
4. I cannot find a job?                   I become homeless.
5. I become homeless?                  I am forgotten.
6. I am forgotten?                          I starve to death.

Is this a ridiculous scenario? Yes!

You will NOT starve to death if you miss a major test or assignment at school.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

That kind of worry is unnecessary and silly. It just causes unnecessary stress, anxiety, and depression.

When you are feeling overwhelmed with worry, make a list.  Look at each item on the list and ask yourself:

This may sound over-simplified, but it really isn’t.

Simple Does Not Mean Easy

How often do we complicate things? All the time.

Often, we complicate things trying to make them easy. Life is NOT easy. Just accept that fact.

If you need to change something:

1. Make a plan.
2. Break it down into manageable steps.

You don’t have to set a time limit. Sometimes that is just not reasonable.

Be flexible. Life will happen. Repeatedly.

If you cannot change something and you cannot get rid of it, find the ridiculous. There are things in life that just are.

Bip, Pots, and the twins will not go away. They are a permanent part of my life.  They make my life difficult and sometimes overwhelming. So….

• I make fun of them.
• I call them dragons.
• I name them.
• I tell silly stories about them.
• I visualize them looking or acting ridiculous.
• I talk to them.
• I yell at them.

Laugh, A Lot

Life is too short not to laugh. Laughter (and chocolate) makes everything better.  Not easier or perfect or simpler.  Just better.

A sense of humor is essential for living a good life.  Learn to view things from different perspectives.  Find the ridiculous in the circumstances surrounding you.

Joy happens in unexpected moments. Look for those moments. Enjoy each one to the fullest as they come. Write them down so you can read about them when life is hard. Talk about them.

The more we focus on the joyful moments, the better prepared we are when the difficult times come.

A quick “ha ha” is not a laugh. You have to laugh until it the muscles in your stomach hurt from being over worked. You have to laugh until the tears flow.

It works better if you have someone to laugh with. Someone to share the jokes and memories. Someone who will say the words or make the faces that bring back the good memories when life beats you up.

“A man is as happy as he decides to be.” — Abraham Lincoln

I have decided to choose joy, laughter and happiness.  What do you choose?