08.02.2024

SUCCESS TECHNIQUES: A HARVARD HAPPINESS EXPERT'S TECHNIQUE FOR ELIMINATING ANXIETY AND FINDING INNER PEACE

Researchers at the University of Texas recently found that stress can literally shrink your brain. And as any chronic worrier will tell you, it also clouds your mind and gives you peace of mind. Constant thoughts like “What if…?” are exhausting and unpleasant. So, given this physical and psychological burden, why do so many of us tend to indulge in incessant worry?

That's the subject of a recent piece in the Atlantic by Harvard University happiness expert Arthur Brooks. In it, he explains why so many of us tend to worry constantly—from biological differences in the way our brains process neurotransmitters to common superstitions about the benefits of worry.

In the material, Brooks provides a four-part plan that will finally kill the constant stress and bring some peace to your brain. Here's what it contains:

Write down your concerns on a piece of paper

“Anxiety, of which worry is a part, is basically just unfocused fear. Without real focus, fear is a fantasy that you could hardly deal with adequately. It is much better to focus the fear by articulating it to yourself. You can do this by creating a list. "When you're worried about a bunch of things, take a piece of paper and write down the five you're most worried about," advises Brooks.

As you might expect from a Harvard expert, his recommendation is backed up by plenty of research, all of which shows that getting anxious thoughts out of your head onto a piece of paper or a display is one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety.

Focus on results

One of Brooks's arguments for the origin of anxiety is that it is actually a masking mechanism. As unpleasant as the feeling of anxiety associated with an upcoming medical examination may be, it is still preferable to a situation where you are directly faced with a bad diagnosis. But the problem with this approach is that if we never face our fears, we will never overcome them, leading to an endless cycle of unproductive anxiety.

So take a deep breath, muster up the courage, and name the thing that's troubling you. "If you can express that fear, you'll give yourself a chance to think about what you could actually do in that situation." So on your worry list, write down the best potential outcome, the worst outcome, and the most likely outcome for each problem. Then add what you would do in each of these cases. This makes the source of the anxiety concrete and gives you a plan to manage the situation,” explains Brooks.

Fight superstition

Repeat to yourself: worrying does not improve your safety. Constant anxiety does not affect the outcome of events. Going over the same worries over and over doesn't give you any plan of action. "Give up the idea that if you agonize over some insecurity enough, you're somehow going to make the situation better," says Brooks.

Make this your morning mantra

It is easy to say that you should let go of anxious thoughts, but it is significantly more difficult to do. But Brooks has another suggestion besides reminding you that worry is futile: “When you wake up in the morning, declare your intention to stop spending your time this way. Here's what you say to yourself: "I don't know what this day will bring, but I'm alive to experience it, and I'm not going to waste time worrying about things I can't control."