Live Whole Health #299: Letting go of worry

Many of us carry some kind of worry or concern in our minds. It could be a small worry, like “I hope my commute is not going to be as bad as yesterday,” or it could be a big worry, such as worrying about the health of a family member.

We know that worrying doesn’t do a whole lot of good, either way. But how do you not do it? How do you not worry?

Work with your worries

Mindfulness meditation is a technique that allows us to work with things like worry in a more effective way. It’s a practice of being in the present moment. When we notice our thoughts becoming wrapped up in worries, we can gently let the thoughts go and guide our attention back to the present moment.

It’s simply noticing the worries when they come up. But instead of dwelling on them or pushing them away, we can use mindfulness techniques to gently let them go and guide our attention back to our breath. Imagine the worries slipping away on a puffy cloud!

Practice letting go

It’s not easy. That’s why we call it mindfulness practice. We take time and effort to train our minds. Mindfulness can be learned and strengthened through practice and repetition.

Follow along with this 22-minute exercise on mindful breathing by Revered Tim Burnett. It’s a great way to learn and practice the mindfulness technique.