Why Worry About It?

Ever been worried silly about something that you pulled half your hair out and then everything was suddenly okay?!

That's what worrying can do sometimes - make us half bald!

And no one likes to be bald! 

Well, unless you're a male whose reading this then you might like the baldilocks looks but us females like a head full of hair!
Anyways... 

Worrying about something you have no control over is actually wasting the precious moments we have in life.

We need to start controlling our thoughts - if we control our thoughts we can change our state. 

Its pretty simple but we humans do like to make things difficult for ourselves.

Sometimes we worry about things way in the past like decades ago which have long gone yet we repeat them in our mind again and again. That's self-sabotage (and there's a post already written and dedicated to that - do have a read).

We worry out of fear - fear of the unknown - not knowing the outcome of something.

We may worry about the events in the future. 

Here's a clue - its the future - it hasn't happened yet, so why are you working yourself up for?

This kind of worrying only makes things worse and can have adverse affects on our health. Not to mention that a job you could do well you might end up doing pretty badly just because you built up all that unnecessary worry.

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." Corrie ten Boom 

Then there's the immediate type of worry - the hear and now - this moment - something that's just happened. 

But because we've already overloaded our mind with past worries and future worries we can't focus on the issue at hand and we get overly emotional and mess up! (Note: emotions are good if we learn to balance them).

So the question is; 'What are you worrying about?'

Is it the past which you now need to heal and lay to rest or is it the future which you need to prepare for?

Here's another clue - now is when you deal with both.

This moment is when you finally heal the past, lay it to rest and release it. And this moment is where you prepare and plan for the future - write a step by step action point list of what needs to be done (if its an event or something you are organising or working towards completing exams, assignments etc).

Are you still following me right here right in the now?

Good. Alhamdulilah.

Uthman Ibn Affan said: 

"Worrying about this duniya is a darkness in the heart and worrying about the akhirah is a light in the heart."

Would you like some heart therapy right now? Would you like some light to enter your heart right now?

God is Light! :)

*Take a deep breath in - hold - and breathe out. Do this three times - each time relaxing each muscle in your body from head to toe and releasing all worries. Let them fall away from you as leaves fall from the trees now. That's right. Be in the now. Feel your body being relaxed to the core and feel the calmness enter your soul. Allow and give permission for light to enter your heart now.*

Eyes open please. Thank you. (Well if you had your eyes closed that is). What's your favourite dish? Well, mines anything that tastes good, really ;)

Now here's a dua for you to read insha'Allah.

The Prophet (pbuh) said; 'Whoever is afflicted with grief and distress should recite the following dua'; "O Allah, I am your slave, the son of your slave. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your judgment of me is inescapable. Your trial of me is just. I am invoking You by all the names that You call Yourself, that You have taught to anyone in Your creation, that You have mentioned in Your Book, or that You have kept unknown. Let the Qur'an be delight of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the pacifier of my worries." (Source: Musnad Ahmad # 1/391)

I know what you're thinking; 'Nadia - good stuff - however you don't know me, my life, my struggles, my worries or what I'm going through - easy said than done!'

OK, so I don't know you personally. But guess what? I'm also human who has human issues and human emotions and issues. 

I may not know or feel what you're personally worrying about but I've had my share of past worries, future worries and present worries. And what did they do? Rob me off my time and my 'this moment' and who was responsible for that? Yup, me!

The thing is, if we want to reduce our worries then we need to become responsible for our lives.

That's what I'm all about and that reflects in my work and the message I want to give to everyone.

If we want to make positive changes in our life then we have to take responsibility for our life. We can't go a life through blaming others. Enough is enough! You were created for greatness and you too can live your best life - if you give yourself permission and allow yourself to be you.

Worrying unnecessarily has never helped anyone in life but made things worse.

Are you ready to take action?

Yes? 

Excellent! Read on for today's tips and action points and insha'Allah you'll be soon saying; 'Why worry about it?' :)

(If no then please go back to the top and read this post again!)

"So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith." {Qur'an 3:139)

Time to gain mastery over your life. Grab your journal and pencil/pen. Bismillah.

Tips and Action Points:

1. Identify your worries:

- Are they past, present or future?

- What exactly is it that is worrying you about that specific situation?

- Are these worries for real and have real immediate consequences or just thoughts you've thought up?

- What three steps can you take immediately to reduce and eliminate these worries now?

2. Dua and Visualise:

- Remember the dua and exercise we did five minutes ago (if you've already forgotten scroll up) - do that exercise again and recite that dua frequently and especially after your salah (prayers).

- Never miss your daily Salah, Qur'an, Dhikr, Tasbee (and dua). Don't let any excuse come between you and your ibaadah - your connection with your Creator - never! 

3. Check your Thoughts:

- How are you spending your time daily? (Especially your alone time). What are you thinking? How does it make you feel?

- If you answered in the negative then now is the time to change it into the positive. That's right. Now is the time to gain mastery over your thoughts insha'Allah.

- Get some new hobbies to occupy your free time. Get active in life. Start to journal your thoughts and to see if they actually have any real ground (usually they don't - they are just like weeds growing uncontrollably in your mind) and what steps you need to take to deal with them.

- Realise right now that you HAVE control over your thoughts. Your thoughts will determine your state, mood, body posture, emotions. As soon as you get the worrisome weedy thought snap yourself out of it. Try it now. You can do it. If I can then so can you!

Remember no one else is responsible for the weeds that grow in our mind except us.

No one said it would be easy and it won't be easy at the start. You may start and stop and even feel like giving up. The key is to never give up and to never lose hope in Allah's mercy and help.

Take action now and get rid off those worries insha'Allah.

Comment below and let me know your 'thoughts' on this post. Let's become an active community who helps each other. You never know who you might inspire and motivate with your words! :)

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