Do you know the difference between worry and concern? You probably can feel a difference between the two—worry can feel more out of control—but may not be aware of the actual difference. Dr. Joseph Luciani, a clinic psychologist, explains it well:

 

“Worry is the incessant, ruminative speculation of what might go wrong—an anticipation of chaos. This can be because of a past mishap…or because of a mishap that’s waiting to happen. Concern, on the other hand, is a calculated consideration and assessment of actual danger.”

 

Worry focuses on the problem and potential loss of control, while concern aims for a solution while looking at facts.

 

It is important to reign in the runaway “worry” train. In a great article by Jeff Steen in Inc. magazine, he suggests scheduling time to worry, just like you would schedule any other appointment. He encourages setting aside 15 minutes in the morning to inventory your worries.

 

Once you have contained your worries with clarity, you can examine them with questions to either 1) disarm the chaos, or 2) create a plan to deal with the relevant concerns.

 

Questions like:

 

Once you release your worries and manage your concerns, you can set the anxious energy aside, leaving more room for joy.