What is the one thing you would say to your younger self? Julian and I had this conversation the other weekend. He is very sure what he would say, and I agree with him. He and I – we would both would say the same thing.
It actually is just one short sentence. You have to have some decades of adulthood behind you in order to get a greater perspective of what would be the wise thing to say to your the teenage or early 20s version of yourself.
The one thing we would say is “Don’t worry so much – it will all turn out better than you think!”
We worry so much about what is happening NOW. The emotional pain of today’s difficulties cloud the brilliance of the sunshine that is to come.
And there will be sunshine. We just can’t see it for the clouds.
Once you have experienced life, done some endless worrying, seen the crisis pass and wondered to yourself if all the worry was worth it, you come to the conclusion that you would not have worried nearly so much if you had known how things would turn out.
That’s one of the problems. You don’t know how things will turn out. But once this worry cycle has turned a number of times on its anxious axle, and after every rotation you have seen that things actually have turned out okay, you begin to see the futility of worry. It causes so much anxiety, heartache and emotional pain and all for nought. It doesn’t get you anywhere.
Appreciation and relief follow, tinged with annoyance that you invested so much energy in worrying.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel carried a line that has more sense than initially imagined…
“It will be alright in the end and if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”
It’s a good quote to remember.
But somehow, it’s very difficult to try and alleviate great doses of worry when they come. How do you get over that crushing tension in your heart, cluttered overwhelmed mind, heavy duty emotional pain? What can you do in the midst of the worry?
And the only thing I can think of comes from the Bible.
Philippians 4:6-7 carries the answer to all of life’s anxieties
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.…
God is there and He knows your worry. When you are in the midst of it, give it to Him. He will replace it with peace that is beyond understanding!
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂