PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT|Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Is worrying ever a good thing??? I guess worrying can be a good thing when it helps you take action to solve problems but that rarely happens. Most worriers are only focused on worst case scenarios and what-ifs which is bad and never makes things better.

I must admit I’m a worrier and over thinker the focusing on worst case scenarios and what-ifs worrier. I used to worry about anything and everything but I’m getting much better lately. I hear a sound and I’m already thinking of a million things that could have caused it. I was always lost in thought and coming up with a million reasons something wasn’t working or won’t work.

It’s amazing I was this way because I grew up with a painting hanging on the wall in the living room which had the following words I memorized by heart in it;

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference

One would think saying these words every day will mean something😂 I was probably too young to understand them then I guess.

Using my employment history as an example; Before I got my first job, I wrote a lot of tests and I was always worried till I got feedback. The worrying lasted for months sometimes(bad right?, I know)Nigerian employers need to work better on their feedback system. So you can Imagine how I got after an interview, I kept imagining different scenarios in my head. I guess that’s why I hate waiting so much because the worrying builds up. My bestie was always on the receiving end of my fears constantly telling me not to worry, have faith and pray but once the conversation ended, I went back to my worried state.

I didn’t know how to stop until one day someone told me “what’s the worst that would happen, you don’t get the job and then?” After I heard that, I kinda chilled a little because it made me realize not getting the job wasn’t killing me or making me lose all my hair 😂 It simply meant I’ll just need to work harder at finding something else and that particular job wasn’t for me. When I started practicing HR and I became the employer, I couldn’t help but laugh at my former self.

“If you’ve done the best you can, worrying won’t make it any better” – Walt Disney

Worry can be about different things from people that don’t worry about you😩to your health, finances, outfit, wedding, spouse, face, writing… the list is endless. Now wait, I knowwwwwww it’s really hard not to think of what’s going on and all the bad things that can possibly happen. So think about it but try not to dwell too much in it. Be thankful, be positive, be hopeful and move on to something else. At least that’s what I do now.

When next you’re worrying about something you can’t control, try to remember the following;

1. No amount of worry can solve your problem.
2. Worrying makes you create a problem that doesn’t exist in the first place.
3. Worrying is taking away all the good things today has in store for you.
4. Worrying can never change the outcome.
5. Everything is going to be okay in the end.

Stay motivated and have a great week.

Thanks for reading.

Mariam Shittu
xo