Hi folks,

Recently, I have been thinking about worrying. Not that I want to worry - quite the reverse!

I'm thinking that the human brain (at least mine) has a tendency to 'lock on' to things. Now, if it locks onto something useful, like solving a problem or helping someone out, this is fine.

But, what if it locks onto frightening possibilities that I can't do anything to prevent? That's what worrying is all about.

Over the years it has been possible for me to reduce the worrying by applying techniques of awareness and mindfulness (I think that Kimmy is doing a mindfulness course at the moment). What we do is learn to recognise that the process of worrying is not the same as the worry. We could be worrying about anything, that could change, but the process of worrying is learned and fearful behaviour which doesn't change unless we do something about it.

We need to address this worrying habit, before it takes us over altogether. When we find ourselves worrying, which is probably very often at first, we remind ourselves that this is a habitual process that we have fallen into and we apply some meditation or a relaxation technique directly to the state of anxiety we are in, we don't focus on the particular worry, as that is quite irrelevent to reducing the worrying habit.

Over time, like a small child or maybe a dog, the brain learns that there is no point in raising worries, because we don't fall for it any more, we just don't give the attention when it's misbehaving. This is a process of self training.

OK - it has taken me a very long time to get some progress, but once it kicks in, the feeling of stability gained from this disciplining is really good. I am now in a position where I often see other people getting all strung up about something (big or small) and I know it's happening to them and not to me.

I am not responsible for everything that goes wrong in the world. If I take a nap, it won't make the sky fall in!

Good thoughts, M