Being there for your kids - Don't Worry So Much

Episode Date: December 15, 2018

Worrying is good in terms of figuring out your options and planning ahead. But worrying too much can be debilitating. It can get your stressed out, anxious, and withdrawn from life. To knock out 80% of your worry, the destructive kind, focus on what you can do to make a situation better, which is constructive worry. Then, turn your what if thoughts into I wonder thoughts. Focus on a positive outcome and then make it happen.

This is Teachable Moments. I'm Dr. John Robinson. Do you worry much? What to do, what to do. Did I say the right thing? What does he or she think of me? What if I don't get the job? We all do a whole lot of worry. What does it get us? Rinkles, ulcers, stress, and missed opportunities. All of our worry can be boiled down into two categories, constructive worry and destructive worry. Constructive worry about those things over which you have control. Do you want to do your best on your presentation tomorrow? practice it tonight. Destructive worry is worry about things over which you have no control. Is your picnic in the park going to be rained out tomorrow? You have no control over the weather, but you can make alternative plans just in case. Generally, about 20% of our worry is constructive and 80% is destructive. Do what you can to address your constructive worry. For destructive worry, with faith, you can give it to God. He's got the big picture. He'll take care of it. When the what ifs get you, take a deep breath and turn the what if into an I wonder? What if generates tightness, muscle constriction, high blood pressure. I wonder generates curiosity, muscle expansion, calm assurance. Add a presuppositional phrase or a positive

outcome to your I wonder statement and your word becomes a hopeful anticipation that you can direct your energies. What if I fail the math test tomorrow becomes I wonder how well I will do on that math test tomorrow. In chapter eight of my book, Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting, I explain in detail how to focus on constructive worry and to turn what-ifs into eye wonders. So, don't worry so much. I'm Dr. John Robinson, licensed to clinical psychologist and Christian parenting author, and this has been Teachable Numbers. Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting, is available online at AmazonBooks.com

and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMC-P-I-N-C.com.