Lisa, I've been doing a similar thing to your worry tree for years. I think I was sitting in traffic outside New York City and I had already been in the car for many hours so I was tired and annoyed. But when one is on a highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic, well, there's not a lot one can do about it. When I had this realization, I decided to make the best of it and found some good music on the radio to groove to while I waited to inch forward every so often.
Now when I feel panicky, I ask myself, "How important is this? Is someone going to die or be maimed?" that sort of thing. If the answer is "no," I move on to the control question you ask and if I have no control as in the traffic situation, I just accept it and move on. If there is something I can do about it, I relish in the problem-solving.
That's not to say, I don't worry, but I have found it much more manageable since adopting this attitude. Glad you've been able to figure it out as well.
Lisa, I've been doing a similar thing to your worry tree for years. I think I was sitting in traffic outside New York City and I had already been in the car for many hours so I was tired and annoyed. But when one is on a highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic, well, there's not a lot one can do about it. When I had this realization, I decided to make the best of it and found some good music on the radio to groove to while I waited to inch forward every so often.
Now when I feel panicky, I ask myself, "How important is this? Is someone going to die or be maimed?" that sort of thing. If the answer is "no," I move on to the control question you ask and if I have no control as in the traffic situation, I just accept it and move on. If there is something I can do about it, I relish in the problem-solving.
That's not to say, I don't worry, but I have found it much more manageable since adopting this attitude. Glad you've been able to figure it out as well.
Nice post and hugs, my friend!