Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do?'
"The Gal Worries." That's what a friend likes to say, and it's true. What if I lose my job? What if the company that holds my mother's reverse mortgage sues? What if my oldest friend can't overcome her Depression? Why is my oldest friend so quiet? However will my friend in the Keys move with that unsellable house hanging around his neck? What if I can't find a futon store that delivers and will take away this filthy sofa? What if I never lose this weight -- will I become diabetic? What's up with mole on my back? What if John and Ed never get new jobs? The list goes on ... and on ... and on ...
My mother believed in the prayer she learned when her mother was in AA. You know, the one by St. Francis. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." And I get that -- in theory.
But I find that by (as my best friend refers to it) "awfulizing," I help myself prepare and withstand. If I worry, think it through, imagine the worst possible outcome there can possibly be, I then recognize that, "HEY! I can handle that." It doesn't paralyze me. It helps me go on.
I find it easier to ask God to help me deal with whatever happens and not to worry about "what is going to happen"...does that make any sense? controlling our thoughts is not easy!
ReplyDeleteMy mother made me a beautiful sampler of the Serenity Prayer when I got sober. I still say that prayer during difficult times.
ReplyDeleteI love that Serenity Prayer. By the way, thanks for leaving a comment on my post.;)
ReplyDeleteSo many worries, and not much you can do about them.
ReplyDeleteI'd used catastrophisizing. which is fine on the page but an awful trip on the tongue. awfulizing. much better.
ReplyDelete