Elevate Your Mental Health: A Simple 4 Step Process to Replace Worry with Wonder
Welcome to the Vibrant Living with Nousha blog. I’m Nousha, super excited to be on this journey of learning, growth and healing with you. This blog is designed to inspire, educate and encourage you or someone you know to live a more vibrant, fulfilling life.
In the January 2017 blog I share the five pillars of optimum health and how we need to nourish, protect and renew each pillar so they can work harmoniously to create optimum health. Today, I’ll dive deeper into the pillar of our mental health focusing on how we can replace worry with wonder, why it is important to make it an ongoing practice in our lives, provide a 4 Step Process to practice and include three resources to further support you on your journey.
Let’s be clear it is human to worry. It’s part of our DNA. No matter how conscious, aware and enlightened we are it comes up. The super conscious, enlightened beings like Buddhas still worry; however, the amount of time spent in that state of mind decreases to perhaps just a few moments as the thought passes. They key is practicing mastering working with it when it comes up vs. having it work you and master you. What do I mean? Well, you know when something is on your mind you can spend a day, a week, a month or even a year in the state of worry? In this case, worry is working on you and you are its servant. Alternatively, those who chose to understand it, work with it and practice the steps to master it, can be liberated from it.
It’s a pleasure to share with you, the 4 Steps to Replace Worry with Wonder that I use and have used for years.
Before I do, let’s examine the impact of worrying. One great place to explore is in the minds of the elderly. Could we look at the oldest Americans as experts on how to live our lives? Karl Pillemer a PhD and Gerontologist at Cornell University spent the last several years systematically interviewing hundreds of older Americans to collect their lessons for living. He admits being an advice junkie and lots of advice is what he received. He interviewed 1,200 elderly (over 70 years old) and asked the question. “What’s your biggest regret as you look back on your life?”
He expected big ticket items like - an affair, a shady business deal, addictions - that kind of thing. He was unprepared for the answers they often gave: “I wish I had not spent so much of my time worrying.” Over and over, among 1,200 elders interviewed who reflected on their lives he heard versions of “I would have spent less time worrying” or “I regret that I worried so much about everything.”
Their advice is simple and direct. Worry is an enormous waste of your precious and limited lifetime. So what did they suggest or wish they did instead? They suggested training yourself to reduce or eliminate worry. This is the most positive step you can make towards greater happiness. The advice is so simple, to train yourself to reduce or eliminate worrying.
The truth is, as humans we need to train ourselves to be here now. Being present is key. Worry lives in the past or in the future and unfortunately poisons the present moment, you lose days, months or years that you can never recover. It’s a pleasure to share with you the 4 Step Process you can practice and train yourself to practice for decreasing or eliminating worry. Keep in mind, this 4 Step Proven Process is simple at first glance yet not easy, practicing it regularly is what will create a compound effect and make the biggest difference in your life. I’ve been practicing these 4 Steps for years and my intention now is to support you on our journey as you design and create a life you love.
Step 1 - Awareness
Become aware when you get into the endless cycle of worry. Ways to increase your ability to be aware by quieting your mind and becoming more present include: creating time daily to consciously breath deeply, a regular meditation practice, and a regular yoga practice. Although there are more ways, these are the ways that have worked very well for me.
Step 2 - Acknowledge
Notice that you are worrying and consider you have a choice in every moment to get on the ‘train’ of worry or on the ‘train’ of wonder. I go into more detail in the video below. If you choose to get on the train of wonder, move to Step 3.
Step 3 - Action
As you choose to get on the train of wonder, you shift your perceptive and can ask yourself questions such as:
I wonder how this is working out for me?
I wonder what else is unfolding and possible?
I wonder how God/Source/Universe/Larger Intelligence is arranging things to work out for my highest and greatest good and the highest and greatest good of all those involved?
In Karl Pillemer’s interviews, the elders suggested focusing on how to understand the situation, plan and prepare for it. They suggested asking yourself questions such as:
I wondering how I can understand this?
I wonder how I can plan for this?
I wonder how I can prepare for this?
Step 4 - Anchor
Create an anchor, something that will take you back to the “train” of wonder. It could be a physical object, it could be a few words that snap you back into the possibility of wonder or it could be an activity that you engage in to change your state of mind and shift you into a state of wonder whenever you get off track.
The three books below served me well on my journey, for your convenience you can access them all at www.noushabehbahanian.com under the Resources section:
- Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires by Esther and Jerry Hicks
- The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith by Gabrielle Bernstein
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Their is an impact to staying in the state of worry. It negatively affects our health physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and financially. Over time, being in a constant state of worry in excess can create dis-ease. You now have the power to replace worry with wonder. I invite you to use the simple 4 Step Proven Process I use to shift yourself into a state of wonder which can positively elevate your mental health and your results. After all, what we focus on expands.
As you take the journey to create your vibrant, fulfilling life and make these shifts in your mindset, you are not alone. You can connect to our group of passionate women and men who are creating a beautiful, happy, fulfilling and freedom filled life. Reach out and receive support from our community of like minded people by joining our Facebook group: Our Vibrant Living Community.
I’m excited to be on this journey with you. The truth is you can design and create, a life you love regardless of your circumstances. If you or anyone you know is struggling with how to live a vibrant, fulfilling life connect them to our blog and/or YouTube Channel, Vibrant Living with Nousha. Simply subscribe to our YouTube Channel and this way each Wednesday, a new show will appear in your show feed ready for you to enjoy and share with your friends, family and community.
Follow Nousha on social media @noushaslegacy on Instagram and Nousha Behbahanian on Facebook. You are invited to join Our Vibrant Living Community on Facebook. You can also learn more by visiting: www.noushabehbahanian.com.
Episode VL04 - Elevate Your Mental Health: A Simple 4 Step Process to Replace Worry with Wonder