Stop Worrying About the Future

Do You Spend Too Much Time Worrying About the Future?

Do you often find yourself worrying about how things will turn out? Concerns like whether your mortgage will become unmanageable as interest rates rise or whether your youngest child will be okay on their first day of kindergarten? Or maybe you’re anxious about what might happen if your parent on blood-thinning medication falls?

High Achievers and Future Thinking

As high achievers, we spend valuable time analyzing different scenarios. We plan meticulously, trying to prepare for every possibility. Unfortunately, this often traps us in a cycle of future thinking.

The Impact of Constant Worry

Fixating on negative outcomes doesn’t do our mental or physical health any favors. Living in the future is common because uncertainty feels unsettling. Our brains are hardwired to seek control and predictability. Thinking about the future allows us to imagine potential outcomes, giving us a sense of control.

However, constantly dwelling on the future can become our default mode of thinking. This habit leads to overwhelm, added pressure, and stress. We end up suffering the pain of our catastrophizing, even though the story we create in our minds hasn’t happened—and might never happen.

How to Stop Worrying About the Future

That’s why managing our thoughts, emotions, and focus is crucial for high performance. If you find you’re spending too much time worrying, here are three present-moment awareness techniques:

1. Use the power of clarity: notice how your future thinking leads to unproductive results. When you see how unrewarding and unhealthy that type of habitual thinking is, it creates momentum to change it. 
2. Noting or labeling: as you notice yourself get caught up in worrying and thoughts about the future, mentally note or label it without judgment. For example, if you notice you’ve been caught up in anxious thoughts, simply say “thinking” or “thought” in your mind and return your focus to the present moment.
3. Mindful observation: choose an object and observe it attentively, noticing its details, colors, textures, and shapes as if seeing it for the first time. That will help you re-engage your focus in the present moment. 

If you’re tired of getting stuck in future worries and want to learn how to manage your thoughts and emotions effectively, book a free consultation today!

Liane Wansbrough | High-Performance Coach