Are you a worrier or a warrior?

What is the difference...

In the book "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale, he provides readers with ten step process of cutting the worry habit and here I share my views on some of these steps.

1. Take GOD's help in breaking the worry habit. We all know that worrying is a bad habit, admitting it and working towards improving one's habits is the first step.

2. How do you get good at things? The more you practice a habit or skill, the better you get at it. Worry is no different, the more you worry the more it gains control of your life. Next time you have the thought of worry, practice faith - can be faith in GOD, higher power, others or even self (I am not promoting any religion or beliefs).

3. Ahh, thats sounds great, but how do I practice faith - its easier said than done - WRONG. It is quite easy. The author recommends that you shout aloud "I Believe" atleast three times every morning before getting off bed. I personally like to take 3 deep breathes and think of my past achievements and future capabilities and opportunities. This action releases in your a sense of achievement and helps you in increasing your faith quotient.

4. After (or during) deep breathes I chant in myself
"Power In" - "Fear Out"
"Faith In" - "Doubt Out"
"Happiness In" - "Worry Out"
These steps have particularly helped me breaking the worry habit. I am not perfect yet, but I am getting there. The best part of this exercise is that by the third time you have mentally prepared yourselves, there is actually nothing more to worry about.
DISCLAIMER: Problems or issues are not vanished by repeating this process. However, we now have renewed energy to focus and work towards fixing the issue than only worrying.

In short, worrying is like idling an engine - makes all the noise the world can hear, uses up fuel energy, releases toxic gases into the environment, but does not make the vehicle move forward. To move forward, you have to release the fear hand brake and press the faith accelerator.

5. Trust and faith in GOD act as catalysts in helping you break this habit. No matter how bad a situation you are in, always remember -
"Everything happens for good"
"All is Well now, All has been well till now and All will be well from today on"
"There is always the helping hand of GOD on your shoulder and he is always by your side to help and assist you in every endeavor".

6. Be positive and excited about the future. You are worrying because you are too focussed on the results and are not sure if it will turn out exactly as you planned it to be. Speak the solution in time of worry and don't reaffirm the worry. Everytime you reaffirm the worry, your worry muscles in brain become stronger and outwin the solution nerves that are trying to help you. Do you want your mind to think of solution, flex them - show them off !!!

7. Immigration status, politics and sports. Unless your job requires you to learn about them to put food on the table - try avoiding such conversations as they usually lead to unnecessary distractions. Always remember
"Average men talk about people and their past, good men talk about events and their prominence and great minds talk about ideas and possibility"

8. One reason you are worried is your mind is saturated with defeat thoughts, past rejections and failures. These are hindering your progress. Saturate your mind with possibility thoughts - sure it will sound artificial at first, uncomfortable and annoying but one thing for sure is that you start to look forward for the upcoming events than trying to escape them.

9. Surround yourself with positive people. People who are ahead of you - both financial and personal relationships. They are your support team and help you overcome your fears and worries by providing you with environment to grow and achieve.

10. ACTION is the next step. What differentiates between worriers and who have overcome their worries to become warriors is a simple word called "I".

The day we all realize that we do not need a reason to be happy though we have all the reasons to be happy is the day we truly break away from the worry habit to become warriors.