Archive for Uncategorized

Why Communication Is Such An Important Life Skill

April 17, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

As you progress through life, communication plays a major role. You might say it gets you where you want to go. 

Get on board with GenuLines as we take a closer look at this thing called communication. 

Why Communication Is Such An Important Life Skill

communication tower
 
 
Your communication skills can help take you far in both your career and your personal life. Now, you might be thinking technology makes these skills outdated.
 
But in today’s world, they’re even more important.
 
Come along with GenuLines as we show you what good communication can do for you.
 
 
 
 
Improve Your Social Life
It’s obvious that being a good communicator can improve your social life. It impacts loved ones, from friends to significant others to family members.
 
When you communicate well, you also tend to listen well. The two go hand in hand.
 
You tend to have fewer disagreements, dramas, and fights. You’re better prepared to make your feelings known in a clear and concise way.
 
You’ll be more able to get to the source of your problems instead of letting them linger or spiral out of control.
Improve Your Professional Life
Successful people tend to blend good effective leadership with good communicating ability. Leaders at work are responsible for guiding, informing, and managing their workforce.
 
They have to be able to communicate what they need to do, how they need to do it, and then make corrections when necessary. It takes excellent communication skills to get that job done.
Make You a Better Person
As we said earlier, excellent communication skills help you to be a better listener. and have less conflict because you’re better prepared to resolve issues. This improves your friendships and relationships, making them stronger and longer-lasting.
 
You listen more and better and you don’t hold on to bad feelings. You communicate them and do it well.
 
You’re a good friend, employee, leader, and a better person all around.
Get things done
This includes how you work through problems, discuss issues, and finish projects. Constant electronic contact may cause you to neglect your communication skills.
 
But you need those same skills to succeed in electronic communication as you do in person. Work on these points to improve your relationships, your career, and your life on the whole.
 
Honing your communication skills can do a lot to improve your life and make you a better and happier person.
 
JohnK 4/17/2023
 
stick man hears about communicationOverheard: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”
                            ~George Bernard Shaw
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for communication
 
 
 

Getting Over Disappointment

April 10, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

You know that disappointment is part of life, and we hope you accept that fact. But it can be heavy, you say.

Well, GenuLines has some tips to help you lighten the load.

Getting Over Disappointment

It can invade your personal, professional, or romantic life. Getting over a disappointment can be tough. especially if it’s something on which you had your heart set.
 
Today we offer six strategies you can use to help you let go of your disappointment and move on to set new goals.

1. Avoid Getting Mired in Your Discouragement

Boy showing disappointment
 
 
It’s okay to feel bad, but don’t get stuck there for too long. How long you think about your sadness depends on the letdown. Losing your favorite t-shirt may deserve a few minutes. Losing a longtime relationship may require a little more time.
 
The point is, acknowledge why you’re disappointed, consider what you’ve learned, and then take action to move on. Staying in bed for a week will only make you feel worse, and you’ll still have to deal with the consequences.

 

 

2. Find Perspective

Whatever the disappointment’s cause, try to maintain the perspective of how this will affect your overall life. You won’t even remember minor defeats in a few weeks’ time, and more significant downfalls should be kept in the perspective of your life as a whole.
 
Focus on that which makes you feel grateful, what you’ve learned, and how this will impact you in the future. You may also want to consider how this setback affects others, which can be a powerful exercise in perspective.
 
They may be hurting worse than you.

3. Remember You Can’t Change the Past

Whatever the disappointment, it’s done. It’s happened.
 
You can’t change it.
 
So you have two choices. Stagnate on your negative feelings about it or accept that it happened and move on.
 
Imagining what might have been or considering the “if onlys” can create more hurt and pain. Focus instead on what’s ahead and how you plan to get there.

4. Use the Chance to Examine Your Expectations

Disappointment is when a situation doesn’t meet your expectations. After a setback, look inward to determine if your expectations were appropriate.
 
Did you expect too much from another person? Were you too demanding of yourself?
 
How realistic were your goals for the situation?
 
Reexamining your expectations is a great way to set new goals for moving forward. Be honest with yourself and the true nature of your dissatisfaction. 
 
Be sure you don’t set yourself up for disappointment.

5. Take a Personal Inventory

Before you move on, this is a great chance to evaluate all the strengths you’re bringing to the table to handle this and other disappointments you may face. Look at the skills you have that will help you through your situation, think about the tools and resources you have to help you form a new plan.
 
Who in your life can assist you in moving on and progressing? Consider all the ways you can and are making the best of your situation and use those as resources for your next step.

6. Reassess and Set New Goals

Each blow in life is an opportunity for choosing a new direction. There is always another chance, to determine how you’re going to decide to move forward.
 
There is value in all setbacks, and you are only as good as what you learn from each one. Take that newfound knowledge and strength and put it toward a new plan for yourself.
 
Moving on from a setback isn’t always easy. But if you do the work and stay focused, you can find your way through to the other side with renewed focus and acceptance.
 
It may take time, but you can move past your defeat and learn from your experiences, too.
 
JohnK 4-10-2023
 

stick figure hears about disappointmentOverheard: “Lucky that man whose children make his happiness in life and not his grief, the anguished disappointment of his hopes”

                                    ~Euripides

 

Article Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sad-child-sitting-on-a-white-chair-3771681/

 

 

disclaimer for disappoinment

Stress And Personal Mastery

April 3, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

Along with all the stress you face in today’s world you’re hearing about lots of ways you can deal with it. But have you ever thought of looking toward personal mastery for relief? 

Come along with us for today’s GenuLines look at personal mastery.

Stress And Personal Mastery

Stress is an emotional and physical response that we show towards different pressures. These can be from the workplace, school or other institutions.
 
The reactions would include inability to focus and concentrate, headache and fast heartbeat. Almost everybody develops stress, but how we deal with it is important.
 
Personal mastery is something that you can put to work to help you to deal with stress.
 
Your work environment can be a major stressor, but this is something you may not be able to control. Instead of trying to control the work environment, you can try to work around it.
 
hand dealing with stress
 

A Little At A Time

You can take one step at a time towards your goals. The question is, how do you work in the midst of stress?
 
You can reduce the risks by seeing things in a new perspective. An example would be learning to let go of situations you don’t control.
 
You can push back against stress by turning it into positive energy. This way you’ll focus your energy on things you can control.

Emotions

Personal mastery also helps you to be familiar with your emotions and learn how to control them. This attitude could be a great help in overcoming and managing stress.
 
There are things you can change, while there are things that are beyond your control.
 
Failing to deal with the problem during its early stages can lead to chronic stress. This can bring on headaches, ulcers, indigestion, high blood pressure and heart issues.

Deal With It

Actually there are simple steps and tips that you can do.
 
*Saying no to commitments that would require time and energy.
*Regular exercise, especially stretching and breathing exercises.
*Meditation
*Eating healthy food
*Asking for help from other people to lessen the burden.
 
To deal with stress, you can reduce the stressors in your life to avoid feeling its effects.

Prevention

Stress prevention removes the possibility of stress to occur.
 
You have to know and understand your limits. Next you’ll have to learn how to say no.
 
It’s important that you know your limitations, but still accept what other people say to you.

At Work and Then Some

Personal mastery can help you focus on your work among other things. It mitigates effects and encourages peace, tranquility and spirituality.
 
You can incorporate stress reduction and prevention in daily life.
 
Some people turn to medication to deal with the symptoms. This could be disabling, and it usually fails to address the real issue.
 
Yes medication could lessen the effects, but it’s more likely they’ll come back. With personal mastery, you change your entire outlook and perspective in life.
 
This guides you to avoid anything that could stress you and wear you out.
 
JohnK 4-3=2023
 
stick man hears about stressOverheard: “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”
                             ~William James
 
 
Article image by nikko macaspac on Unsplash
 
 
disclaimer for stress

The Art of Failing Fast

March 27, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

If failing is scary, why would you want to do it quickly? Seems counterintuitive, no? 

There is method to this seeming madness, and GenuLines brings the usual sanity to explain in more detail. 

The Art of Failing Fast

If you want to achieve a lot in life, sometimes the secret is to stop trying so hard and to put out lower quality work. Wait… what?
 
That’s not what they told you at school right?
 
And it likely goes against pretty much everything you learned when growing up. But in fact it’s very often the case when it comes to being successful so let’s take a look at why.

What it Means to Fail Fast

What I’m talking about here is ‘failing fast’. In business, this means creating your ‘minimal viable product’ or your ‘MVP’.
 
graph shows failing
 
 
Then you release it as soon as you can.
 
For example, a company will create a product that is sub-par in many ways and that could be better. and then they’ll release ten more. During the same period another company doesn’t take the fail fast approach.
 
This one might only release a single product. though it’s much better quality.

Letting go

Why is it better in some cases to release things that you don’t think are the best they could be? Well it comes down to the fact that these ‘minimal viable products’ need a smaller investment.
 
And they allow you to get something out the door faster.
 
That means that you can beat the competition to market. And it means that you don’t lose out on such a big investment as you otherwise might do.
 
What’s more, it means you can do a quick release of something else again next week as well.
 
As a result you’ll be able to test the market and get an idea for whether people want to buy your product or don’t. If you get lots of interest and lots of sales then you know that it’s worth your while to invest even more time and effort.
 
If you don’t get any interest?
 
You move on, having taking the minimal financial hit. Meanwhile, your competition invested big to create one fantastic product.
 
But they risk that product failing and costing them huge amounts. And that could end the business.

Applying it to Life

The ‘fail fast’ technique can also apply to other areas of your life. This means releasing a ‘beta’ version to the public, and you can do this in all kinds of situations.
 
For instance, you’re in a social setting and you want to get an attractive person’s attention. Instead of spending all night staring at one person, try smiling at as many people as possible.
 
Some of them will look the other way, but when someone finally smiles back you can go over and invest the time.
 
See what other areas of your life you can work this idea into!
 
JohnK 3-27-2023
 
Stick figure hears about failingOverheard: “If you fail, never give up because FAIL means- First Attempt In Learning”
                   ~APJ Abdul Kalam
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for failing
 
 

Self-Sabotaging Thoughts That Hinder Happiness

March 20, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

It’s been said that thoughts are things. And things aren’t so good when your thoughts turn against you. 

We go deeper as GenuLines takes a closer look at this thoughts thing.  

Self-Sabotaging Thoughts That Hinder Happiness

At times you’ll struggle to get your thoughts to align with your intentions. These types of thoughts focus on what’s wrong.
 
Or on what’s missing. Or on the negativity of the situation instead of the positives.
 
a picture of thoughts

 

I Don’t Like People

Introverts can have a problem with this. They tend to base their decisions on how many people will be around to see the results..
 
They tend to make decisions that are not good for them because they are not comfortable being who they are. Turn that thought around.
 
Take action.
 
But focus on how you can give yourself care during anxious moments around people. It’s okay to be who you are.

I Am Too ____

Anytime you start a thought with, I am “too” you get into trouble. People often worry about things that no one else ever thinks about.
 
Yet sometimes they might worry about things that other people do think about.
 
For example, you find yourself saying you’re too fat, too dumb, too something. Turn that around by setting up steps that will get you to your goals.

I’ll Do That When I ______

You may have said it before to yourself. “I’ll do that when I go back to school.”
 
“I’ll do that when I clean the house.” “I’ll do that when I lose weight.”
 
You know the drill. Unless you need to do the thing in the blank, don’t allow that to get in your way.
 
If you do need to do it, make a step-by-step plan to get it done.

I Can’t Do _____

You may have heard your child, or yourself, or someone else say “I can’t do math.” Or “I can’t cook.”
 
The truth is, no one can do any of that without learning how to do it.
 
No one pops out of the womb knowing how to cook, write, read, or do math. Anyone can learn whatever they want to learn given the time and effort to do it.

Saying I Should ____

Have you ever heard that it’s important not to “should” all over everyone? Not only is it a bad idea to create “shoulds” for others, it’s a terrible idea to create them for yourself.

In the Past ___

You dwell on the past and what someone did to you then. Or you fixated on what things were like in the past.
 
This thinking isn’t going to help you overcome self-sabotage. While it’s okay to use the past as a learning example, it’s not okay to use it as an excuse not to move forward.
 
Remember you’re only in charge of yourself.

In the Future ____

You don’t want to focus on the past but you also don’t want to be too focused on what’s ahead. Focus on today and tomorrow will take care of itself.

If I Was More Like Them –

Never compare yourself to someone else in a negative way. It’s okay to look at what someone has accomplished.
 
Learn how to do it yourself, and follow their footsteps.
 
But don’t wish yourself away. Only you can be you.
 
Whenever you find you’re focused on a negative aspect of any situation, try to turn your mind around. Focus on the positives.
 
Yes, sometimes you’re going to have a sad or negative thought, that’s normal. It’s not about the ups and downs of life.
 
Those are natural. It’s about how you comport yourself the rest of the time.
 
That’s the better path to happiness.
 
JohnK 3-20-2023
 
stick man hears about thoughtsOverheard: “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”
                          ~James Allen, As a Man Thinketh
 
 
 
Articlle image by Miguel Á. Padriñán: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-bubble-illustration-1111372/
 
 
 
disclaimer for thoughts
 

Do You Believe in Your Own Potential?

March 13, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

You’re capable of great things and people have been telling you that for a long time. But deep down you’re not sure you believe it’s true. 

Let’s unpack this with a GenuLines look at a perplexing question.

Do You Believe in Your Own Potential?

While we all have dreams and aspirations, few of us are aware of our own potential. It can be hard to see the good and admirable traits in ourselves, much like it is with our faults.
 
But, believing in our potential is a crucial part of developing self-confidence.
 
To achieve all you’re capable of, you have to believe in your potential. It can help you to try new things, challenge yourself, and take risks that could lead to success.
 
sign says believe
 
GenuLines has come up with a few ways you can boost belief in your potential.

Spend Time in Self-Reflection

The first way to determine if you believe in your own potential is to spend time in self-reflection. Ask yourself what you’re capable of; what are your strengths and admirable qualities?
 
During this time, try to focus on the following:
 
? What is your potential?
 
? What do you want to achieve?
 
? Do you believe you can achieve it?
 
? What can you do with this potential?
 
Focusing on these questions. Answering them will help you to identify your potential and give you stronger belief in it.

Write Down What You See As Your Full Potential

Now that you’ve had time to reflect on what your potential is, you can list the needed qualities and skills. This will help you affirm what your potential is and your belief in it.
 
Study this list and keep it close by. Be sure to look at it whenever you feel yourself doubting your potential.
 
This way you’ll keep your potential top of mind.

Prove Your Potential to Yourself

To believe in something people sometimes need to see it. This even extends to what they believe about themselves.
 
A great way to believe in your potential is to prove to yourself you have it. Act on it; challenge yourself by pushing the limits of your potential.
 
This challenge can be career-, hobby-, or relationship-oriented. As long as it challenges you and forces you to showcase your full potential.
 
When this happens you’ll have a well-earned sense of accomplishment and confidence. And you’ll believe in your potential without doubts.

Surround Yourself with Those Who Believe in Your Potential

We all like to think we don’t let others affect us. But the reality is that the people around us, especially those close to us, do affect us.
 
If those close to you doubt your potential, you’re likely to do the same. You don’t need that negative influence in your life.
 
Instead, be around people who are more likely to encourage you to achieve all you can. Believing in your potential is an essential part of being confident and successful.
 
At times this will take work. So keep at it.
 
And keep believing.
 
JohnK 3-13-2023
 
Stick figure hears about believingOverheard: “They can conquer who believe they can”
                                 ~Virgil
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for believing
 
 

5 Tips for More Effective Conflict Resolution

March 6, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

You want to deal with conflict in your life, whether in business, your personal life, or anywhere else. But conflict can have a lot of moving parts. 

Today GenuLines will help you arrange those parts into a smooth running machine. 

5 Tips for More Effective Conflict Resolution

group shows conflict resolution
 
Conflicts happen, whether at home, at work, or somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately, they start as something trivial but can jump to something more serious.
 
And it can do this in a matter of minutes. That’s why it pays to know how to resolve any conflict you face.
 
You create healthy boundaries. And you’ll balance your emotions without creating unnecessary stress and anxiety.
 
 
 
 
Here are five tips for more effective conflict resolution that will help you out of any jam. Take a look.

Tip #1: Find the Source of the Conflict

The first step in conflict resolution is to identify the source of the problem. Once you identify the issue, you can start taking the right measures toward fixing it.
 
Don’t carry on without knowing exactly why you’re feeling the way you do. You’ll be angry and worked up without knowing why.
 
It may seem like a waste of time at first. But if you think about it, you can’t solve any problem unless you first find its source.
 
Here’s another way of looking at it: Identify the root cause of the issue and everyone involved can help in not repeating it.

Tip #2: Find a Quiet and Safe Place to Talk

Now it’s time to bring in the other person if you haven’t already. You want to deal with conflict as soon as you can so it doesn’t grow into something bigger over time.
 
Remember that there’s nothing wrong with having a difference of opinion every now and then. Yet, it’s how you communicate that makes all the difference in the world!
 
Now we’ve all been in similar situations and it can be daunting to try and engage in this type of discourse. Still, you have to muster the courage and start because the sooner you deal with it, the better the outcome will be.
 

Tip #3: Actively Listen

Active listening plays a big role in determining how your conflict resolution proceeds. So, you have to be patient when it’s the other person’s turn to speak.
 
Write down any rebuttals that pop into your head to avoid interrupting them.
 
Show that you respect the other person’s emotions and point of view. This way, they’ll make it a point to try and do the same when it’s your turn to speak.

Tip #4: Point Out Ways to Solve the Problem

After each person has had their chance to talk and listen, the next step is to try and find some sort of middle ground. Write down your ideas, then start brainstorming.
 
Write out all the ideas that come, even the crazy ones. Those are usually the ones that lead to an effective end to the problem.
 
And remember there’s one critical thing to remember while resolving any conflict. That’s to only focus on the issue at hand and not the person.
 
This will help the other person feel safe enough to start finding ways to solve the issue. You don’t want the person to be on the defensive or think you’re judging them.

Tip #5: Agree on the Best Solution

Finding common ground can be easier said than done. It requires each party to own up to their part of the conflict.
 
Not only that, but it also means they have to put in the effort of looking for a suitable compromise.
 
Plus, they have to take the necessary steps to resolve it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. That only happens when all parties have set clear expectations.
 
At the same time they must respect the other’s differences.
 
Also, it’s helpful to think of conflict as an opportunity to grow. With proper management you can find great insight.
 
And it can help you become more attuned to your needs and the needs of those around you.
 
The neutral ground you create means everyone feels comfortable speaking and sharing ideas.
 
Open up communication lines. And take the time to listen and collaborate on solutions.
 
It’s all downhill from there.
 
JohnK 3-6-2023
chiforyourself.com
 
Stick figure hears about conflictOverheard: “To practice the process of conflict resolution, we must completely abandon the goal of getting people to do what we want”
                                 ~Marshall B. Rosenberg
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for conflict

Learning To Say No To Your Inner Critic

February 27, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

Sometimes your loudest critic is the one inside you. It can take a bit of work, but it’s doable.

Let GenuLines help you get started on the project. 

Learning To Say No To Your Inner Critic

Being a bit critical of yourself can provide you with the reality check you sometimes need. It can help you make important changes in your life.
 
But constant self-criticism can lead to stalled progress. And the inability to do what is necessary for your happiness.
 
So learning how to silence or ignore your inner critic is an essential life skill. Here are some GenuLines strategies that will help you say no to your inner critic.
 

What is an inner critic?

man hears inner critic
 
 
It’s a voice inside that criticizes your choices, actions, and often your appearance. It’s born out of fear, sadness, and low self-worth.
 
It’s the thought pattern that tells you, “This isn’t good enough,” or “If only this were different.”
 

 

 

Naming your critic

This can help you recognize it when it is rearing its ugly head. And it can help you put it into perspective.
 
You might call it The Perfectionist, The Voice, or even The Gremlin. Giving it a less-than-dignified name keeps its power over you low.
 
Putting your mistakes into perspective can often help tone down your inner critic. With the right perspective, you can quiet that voice in little time.
 
After a misstep or blunder, be sure to question if anyone else even noticed or cared. As it turns out, we each are not, in fact, the center of the universe, and most people don’t even register others’ errors.
 
Before feeling that you embarrassed yourself in front of the whole office, think. Was anyone paying attention in the first place?
 

What would “they” think?

Consider how another person would respond to the way you talk to yourself. What would your spouse or best friend say about your mistake?
 
What would they say about how you’re talking about yourself or about your mistake? An alternative to this is, if you wouldn’t say it to someone you love, why are you saying it to yourself?
 
Be kinder to yourself, and soon the inner critic will have no voice.
 

Have a plan

Develop some pat responses to your inner critic and practice them. The minute you hear that voice beginning to criticize, respond with “So what?” or “Who cares?”
 
Another favorite is “Big deal!” Take away the critic’s power to influence how you feel and what you do by minimizing your responses and move on.
 
Your inner critic creates feelings of shame in you because you keep your mistakes secret. When you have made a mistake, admit it so you can move on.

Speak up

Tell someone else what happened or apologize if your mistake harmed others. Then, your inner critic has nothing to complain about,.
 
You’ll feel better for voicing your feelings instead of keeping them bottled up.
 
Learn to accept yourself as you are and silence the voice that’s always telling you what’s bad and wrong. This means admitting you’re not perfect.
 
Hold yourself to realistic rather than perfectionist standards. Find happiness and peace with the chaos that is life.
 
Mistakes teach you lessons. And you’re the person you are because of all the good and bad things that have happened to this point.
 
So silence that inner critic by remembering how valuable your life mistakes are.
 
JohnK 2=27-2023
 
stick figure hears about criticsOverheard: “How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct”
                                    ~Benjamin Disraeli
 
 
 
 

Article image from Mahdi Bafande on Unsplash

 
 
 
disclaimer for critics

How Reducing Distractions Can Build Stronger Relationships

February 20, 2023 Uncategorized No comments

Distractions in your life can hurt your relationships. There’s help for this. And today GenuLines will show you some ways to bring this about. . 

How Reducing Distractions Can Build Stronger Relationships

Spending undistracted time with people will build stronger relationships. You’ll have time to devote to each other in more effective and productive ways.
 
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a working relationship or a personal relationship. 

Enjoy Improved Communication

driver having distraction

Take time to talk to people minus distractions from screens or other activities. This is most conducive to real conversation.

You’ll learn each other’s communication styles better.
 
And you’ll start understanding each other more. Knowing what the other person means when they talk to you helps all aspects of the relationship.

 

 

Have More Fun 

It’s more fun to be with people when you’re not having to answer your phone or look at screens. The few times you get together will be exclusive and without distractions.

Build Positive Memories 

When you look back on your life you’re not going to with you had more time with gadgets or small concerns. Instead, you’ll focus on the memories you’ve built with those closest to you.
 
You can’t make memories if you aren’t focused on the event or person.

Discover More Shared Interests 

Remove distractions from your dealings with others and you’ll
learn more about who they are. You’re quicker to find common ground.
 
When you have more shared interests relationship satisfaction improves.

Foster a Sense of Commitment 

When we connect to our community and environment, we’re a lot more devoted to it. Human nature is that way, even if we don’t want to do the activity in question.

Feel Happier 

Studies using couples and families showed interesting results. They found that spending quality time minus distractions brought more happiness.
 
And they have longer-lasting relationships than those who don’t.

Reduce Stress 

Distraction causes stress, and stress causes so many other problems – even physical illness. If you want to reduce your stress level, consider making lifestyle changes.
 
Ones that allows you to focus only on each activity you’re in as you’re in it.
 
Do the same with relationships. If it’s at work, find an electronics free place to talk.
 
At your work meeting, ask everyone to turn off unnecessary distractions. If it’s your family and friends, make a concerted effort to spend this time together without an agenda.
 
And ditch the distractions. you’ll be happy you did.
 
JohnK 2-20-2023
 
stick man hears about distractionsOverheard: Happiness can only be found if you can free yourself of all other distractions.                                     
                                ~Saul Bellow
 
 
 
Article image by Breakingpic: https://www.pexels.com/photo/car-music-audio-controls-3102/
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for distraction
 
 
 

7 Ways to Use Mindfulness to Attack Worry

February 13, 2023 Uncategorized No comments
Dealing with worry can lead you to all types of coping strategies, including substances. This can spiral out of hand in a big hurry. 
 
There’s another way of dealing, and GenuLines has a list of pointers for your consideration 

7 Ways To Use Mindfulness To Attack Worry

You freeze when it happens. You don’t know what to do or how to move forward.
 
Your thoughts circle like vultures, waiting for your inevitable demise.
 
picture suggests mindfulness
 
It’s only a matter of time. Worry has a way of derailing everything in your day.
Using mindfulness, though, is a quick, easy way to get things back on track.

Stay in the Moment

Take a step back to examine the worrying thought. Start with the acceptance of the thought itself.
 
This is the heart of mindfulness.
 
Trying to ignore the worry only makes it worse. By giving the thought your attention, and then placing a label on it, you take power away from it.
 
For example, let’s say you have money worries. You might start by telling yourself, “Yes, I am worried about paying the bills this month.”

Find the Emotions

Once you’ve labeled your worries, identify the emotion accompanying it. Once you’ve got this, be honest with yourself.
 
What do these emotions make you feel like doing?

Kill the Worry with Normalcy

Instead of avoiding the worry, pay mindful attention to it. Remind yourself that this worry is normal.
 
Do this every time it comes up. In time it’ll seem less threatening.

Look for Patterns

Do these worries creep up at certain times? Using mindfulness means you’re paying attention to your thoughts in the moment.
 
Understanding what sets you off is a great way to keep the worrying thought from happening at all. You’ll find yourself catching those damaging thoughts much faster.
 
And you’ll be able to shut them down that much faster.

Redirect

With mindfulness, you’re very much aware of the worries the moment they begin. You’re capable of taking control of them.
 
And you can switch them something else immediately, putting your attention there instead.

Allow the Emotion to Play Out

Worry comes with a slew of negative emotions. Mindfulness means you’re aware of what you’re feeling right now.
 
If you find yourself falling into the fears and anxiety coupled with worry, let them play out. Imagine watching them from a distance, rather than suppressing them.
 
This will let them dissipate in a natural way rather than escalate.

Flip it Around

Worried about trying something new? Rather than avoid it, try it anyway.
 
Handle the worries you know are irrational with action. More often than not, you’ll find you had nothing to worry about in the first place.
 
But keep this in mind. Sometimes worry is there for a good reason. Be careful which worries you challenge.
 
Remember, the whole point of mindfulness. You want to be in the moment and pay very close attention to what’s going on both inside and out.
 
Worry doesn’t bear up under such close scrutiny. If all you do is pay attention you’ll change the game in a big way. .
 
JohnK 2-13-2023
 
stick man hears about worryOverheard: “You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.”
                         ~ Olin Miller
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for worry
 
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