Eliminate the Variables

“Treat frets like mosquitoes. Do you procrastinate when a bloodsucking bug lights on your skin? ‘I’ll take care of it in a moment.’ Of course not! You give the critter the slap it deserves. Be equally decisive with anxiety.” — Max Lucado

It’s impossible to work with the unknowns and what-ifs. We can have a lot of anxiety about things that are uncertain. Fear of the unknown is one of the greatest sources of anxiety. We can drive ourselves crazy trying to account and plan for all the possibilities.

A few things about anxiety.

1. The good news is it is future based. That means nothing has actually happened yet.
2. The bad news is we can’t reach into the future to fix something. All we can do is perseverate, which is not productive or healthy.
3. Once something happens, we quit worrying and start doing. That can only happen in the present.

Even if I get the worst news in the world, I can work with that. There are things I can do. With the unknown, I’m simply stuck with my thoughts. It is not actionable.

One way to approach this challenge is to eliminate as many variables as possible.

Some practical ideas.
1. Identify the triggers. Track the trends and see patterns of your stress and anxiety. When do they occur, how often, is it right before meals, a certain time of the year? This gives you tangible things to focus on.
2. Do the thing you are dreading. Procrastination only kicks the can down the road.

Certainly, we can’t get rid of all the unknowns, but the more information we have to work with, the better. If the gazelle can see the lion, he can react appropriately. It becomes real, not just a nebulous worry. Often when we confront something and make it tangible, it looses much of its power over us.

At the end of the day, the more proactive you can be, the less reactive you will be. That means feeling more control and less anxiety.