Nonexistent Problems

A single thought can spiral into days of fear and stress—but it doesn’t have to. In this track, I share a personal story and a simple practice that helps me return to the present moment. May it support you the next time your mind tries to pull you into a storm that isn’t even real.

Transcript

How many times have you had that one fearful thought that spiraled into hours, Days, Or even weeks of worry and stress? I hear you. I've been there too. Many times. Recently, I was watching a travel vlog that unexpectedly morphed into a breast cancer healing journey. Next thing I knew, I was panicked. Emailing old doctor's offices, Asking for my medical records, And planning my next full-body cancer scan. This went on for hours, Until I eventually reached out to somebody to help pull me out of the rabbit hole. The truth is, We all do this. But why? Why does one thought take over our entire world, Even when that world doesn't even exist in the present moment? Before I understood what was happening, I used to feel really annoyed and angry with myself. But the truth is, These thoughts and behaviors aren't here to hurt us. They're here to help us survive. Our brain isn't trying to stress us out. It's trying to make sure we don't die. These days, I can laugh at those moments instead of condemning myself for them. But how do we stop? That's the question. And I finally found my answer. It's more simple than you might think. It's just awareness. Awareness of that first thought, And the awareness of the moment you're actually in. Let me give you an example. When that first moment of terror about cancer popped into my mind, Instead of feeding it by reaching out to old doctors, Another option could have been to name my surroundings. Like the tan couch I was sitting on. And the fig plant that was in front of me. And the smell of coffee that was lingering in the air. I've done this before in similar situations, And that's really all it takes. Letting the thought come up and go. But I can only let it go by grounding myself in the present moment by naming what I can see, Smell, Hear, And touch. And just like that, The mind lets go of the thought. It doesn't mean that every single time a similar circumstance presents itself, You're going to do it perfectly. But with time and practice, That new response can stick. So next time you have a thought that you know can take you over and drown you in a sea of non-existent problems, Try this. See if it helps.