Writing reveals that a wiser version of yourself is available when you need that person the most. By revisiting the words that you once wrote, it instills the confidence required to become the best version of yourself again.
Today, I will be re-sharing a big post on the topic of worry. There are two reasons for this:
(1) It recently made the rounds after a huge newsletter, Morning Brew, shared it with their audience. I received many messages from new readers about how helpful it was, and perhaps it’s the exact thing you need right now too.
(2) I re-read it recently because I also found myself struggling with worry, and wanted to remind myself of the solution I once came up with. And sure enough, I was happy to see that its lessons still applied to my life today.
Here’s my 5,000-word, 50-drawing guide to overcoming one of life's most difficult emotions. When you’re ready, let’s dive right in:
If there’s one framework that will help you craft a resonant essay, it’s this one. I call it the PAT Model, and by using it as a brainstorming tool, you’ll have immediate clarity into the direction of your piece.
I go over it in a video lesson from The Examined Writer, but I want to give you a free peek into how it works. Check it out below:
And if you’d like to pick up The Examined Writer, I’m offering a 25% discount for readers of this newsletter (the Premium edition is normally $265, but just $199for today). Use discount code NEWSLETTER25 to pick it up, or simply use this checkout link. Enjoy =).
A Thought I’ve Been Pondering
One realization I had while writing the worry post was that the quickest way to forget about a worry is to be introduced to a bigger one.
For example, if you were worried about a stupid thing you said at a work party, you might spend days ruminating over it. But if you then learned that your company was shutting down, your drunken comment will seem trivial and insignificant. Given that your job is actually gone now, you have a bigger thing to mull over, and this goes on to replace the prior concern you had.
The key is to take this dynamic and reframe it so that you don't have to wait for a bigger worry to arrive. Rather, you can actively seek out something that feels like a bigger worry, but is actually a constructive version of it. And this positive version is what I refer to as a challenge.
Worry and challenge have similar textures. Both require a significant exertion of thought, and demand a large investment of attention. The difference, however, is that worry is a self-destructive force, while challenge is a self-actualizing one. Thought loops with worry. Thought progresses with challenge.
So what are some challenges that work well here? Well, for me, writing helps to serve that purpose. It requires full presence and isn't easy, but is something that makes me feel like I'm actualizing my potential. Another example is physical exercise. Going for a run, swimming in a pool, lifting weights... all these are challenging, but they have the effect of quieting the mind.
Instead of waiting for another worry to take precedence, proactively seek out a challenge to substitute it. This technique of Worry Replacement works very well, and if you do it for long enough, you'll find that the half-life of worry decreases as the vigor of the challenge progresses.
A Brief Parting Question
What species of worry do you struggle with most? Financial, familial, vocational… something else? And what practices have you used to help alleviate it?
I wrote today’s piece to act as a therapist to myself, given that worry is a personal struggle of mine. I’m curious to hear your experiences with worry and how you’ve managed it as well.
As always, hit reply to share any thoughts, to respond to the parting question, or to simply say hello. I love hearing from you.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to share this email with anyone who might enjoy it. Have a great rest of your week!
-Lawrence Yeo
P.S. Thanks to Jeffrey Wilkins for adding your support on Patreon! It means so much. If you’d like to support More To That and get access to book recommendations, exclusive AMAs, offline posts, and other reflections, join as a patron today.
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