THOUGHTS AND ANXIETY“There is nothing in this world that can trouble you more than your own thoughts”
As they often say “It is mind over matter” and if you do not mind, it does not really matter! Many people are often crippled by thoughts of “What if?” Fear, worry, and anxiety often cripple us and we often become worried and anxious, in most times – for nothing. It took me a long time to realize that it is indeed “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity”. A statement at the beginning of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. It is the pointlessness of human activity in the major theme of the book. The author, however, like Job, insists that God’s laws must be kept, whether keeping them results in happiness or sorrow. Well, that much is true.
We cannot control whatever cards life deals us; just how we play the game. Why worry and anticipate the worse when it is a scenario just in our heads? Worry and anxiety often cripple us and we will not know how to handle current challenges playing right in front of us. In reality, what we need is clear-headedness to handle the challenges before us. We cannot regret what had happened for it has already happened. It is always the here and now. Through many personal challenges, I have learned that we need to live one day at a time. We cannot foretell the future. The past has already happened. We need to live in the present. That is all we need to do. As when we were born, we did not learn how to run but first, to crawl.
If we consistently worry about the what-ifs, it will constantly, consume us and rob us of the joy in living, as the French say “Joie de vie” (joy of life) for the moment. Do not let the devil take residency in our minds. The devil did not tempt Adam and Eve to commit a sin. He just created doubt in their minds about God’s love.
One of the best lessons one can learn in life is to master how to remain calm in the face of adversity. The reason why I have survived and triumphed over many personal challenges is the fact that I believe that God is there before me, to help me get over it – blind faith. Always believe that God loves us and will always want the best for us, His children. Love is “the willing of the good of the other”
I know that it is easier said than done…being calm in the face of adversity but take courage for I who have gone through all that and come up the other side, laughing and smiling! In hindsight, I had realized how foolish I was to be anxious (even for a while) only to realize that God has taken care of that problem for me already. Next, I would like to touch on the topic of “Anger.” I am very sure that the word resonates with many people. We are only human and we have been angered by people, situations, and things beyond our control. Anger is dangerous and it spreads like cancer to your mind and eats at your soul. Like worry and anxiety, it causes you to be negative and unhappy…with people and with life.
I would like to end here by a quotation from Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:
“The past does not belong to me: the future is not mine;
With all my soul, I’ll try to make use of the present moment”
Till then, may I wish you all, a joyful day, evening or night…wherever you are.
