Worry — Far dangerous than Covid-19
Since March, we all are dealing with this pandemic called SARS — Covid 19 or Corona. It has brought the entire world down and most of us are stucked in our homes and lives. There are strict lockdowns and millions of people are getting affected by it. Businesses have been shut down, jobs have been lost and millions have been infected by the virus. Apart from that, all social contacts have been restricted and people are somehow trapped with themselves.
Some are holding protests against the lockdowns or social gathering restrictions, while others are feeling helpless and are burying themselves in worry, fear or anxiety. And the extreme of it is depression.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, mental health issues are on the rise. More and more people are getting infected by this worry syndrome and are slowly and gradually moving towards depression.
It is strange that all this is happening in times — when we have unlimited sources of entertainment — Smart TVs, Smart Phones, Networking websites, OTT Platforms, Video games etc. and millions of things to keep us occupied. Once again, it points to the void in our lives. How we all are living a superficial life — trying to impress the next door neighbor or a new boyfriend/girlfriend.
The suggestion of numerous Prophets, Saints or psychologists are still relevant in today’s times:
“Love and understand yourself, then do what makes you feel happy and fulfilled.”
A person who knows himself well and enjoys in his own company, understands life better. He is then not worried about the situation, but is ready to find solutions and put them into action. He knows ways to be connected with the society, he knows ways to make a positive impact and he knows ways to help people who are in need.
On the other hand, a person infected with worry, fear or anxiety is lost in negativity and blinded by emotions. He has forgotten that he is the miracle and with his decision situation can be turned into favor.
There are millions of stories to prove this and I am sharing one with you from the book: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Here is Leon Shimkin’s experience in his own words:
“For fifteen years I spent almost half of every business day
holding conferences, discussing problems. Should we do this
or that-do nothing at all? We would get tense; twist in our
chairs; walk the floor; argue and go around in circles. When
night came, I would be utterly exhausted. I fully expected to
go on doing this sort of thing for the rest of my life. I had been
doing it for fifteen years, and it never occurred to me that there
was a better way of doing it. If anyone had told me that I could
eliminate three-fourths of all the time I spent in those worried
conferences, and three-fourths of my nervous strain-I would
have thought he was a wild-eyed, slap-happy, armchair
optimist. Yet I devised a plan that did just that. I have been
using this plan for eight years. It has performed wonders for
my efficiency, my health, and my happiness.
“It sounds like magic-but like all magic tricks, it is extremely
simple when you see how it is done.
“Here is the secret: First, I immediately stopped the procedure
I had been using in my conferences for fifteen years-a
procedure that began with my troubled associates reciting all
the details of what had gone wrong, and ending up by asking:
‘What shall we do?’ Second, I made a new rule-a rule that
everyone who wishes to present a problem to me must first
prepare and submit a memorandum answering these four
questions:
“Question 1: What is the problem?
(“In the old days we used to spend an hour or two in a worried
conference without anyone’s knowing specifically and
concretely what the real problem was. We used to work
ourselves into a lather discussing our troubles without ever
troubling to write out specifically what our problem was.)
“Question 2: What is the cause of the problem?
(“As I look back over my career, I am appalled at the wasted
hours I have spent in worried conferences without ever trying
to find out clearly the conditions which lay at the root of the
problem.)
“Question 3: What are all possible solutions of the problem?
(“In the old days, one man in the conference would suggest
one solution. Someone else would argue with him. Tempers
would flare. We would often get clear off the subject, and at
the end of the conference no one would have written down all
the various things we could do to attack the problem.)
“Question 4: What solution do you suggest?
(“I used to go into a conference with a man who had spent
hours worrying about a situation and going around in circles
without ever once thinking through all possible solutions and
then writing down: ‘This is the solution I recommend.’)
“My associates rarely come to me now with their problems.
Why? Because they have discovered that in order to answer
these four questions they have to get all the facts and think
their problems through. And after they have done that they
find, in three-fourths of the cases, they don’t have to consult
me at all, because the proper solution has popped out like a
piece of bread popping out from an electric toaster. Even in
those cases where consultation is necessary, the discussion
takes about one-third the time formerly required, because it
proceeds along an orderly, logical path to a reasoned
conclusion.
“Much less time is now consumed in worrying and talking about what is wrong; and a lot more action is obtained toward making those things right.”
So, next time you are paralyzed by this worry syndrome, put the below plan in action:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the CAUSE of the problem?
3. What are all possible solutions to the problem?
4. What solutions do you suggest?
And you will be surprised to see yourself enjoying more life and worrying too less.
Remember, far more people die not because of the problem, but because of unnecessary worry, fear or anxiety about the problem. If at once, they decide to calm themselves and think about the problem and its probable solution, they would be surprised by living an incredible life full of action. And where there is action, there is no worry.
I am concluding this article with a beautiful picture which conveys a lot.
