Day 7: Don’t Worry About Anything

My dad has been know to give some great advice, simple and to the point, and for most of my life, I’ve subscribed to his advice. Today, as my two brothers, my dad, and I were talking about nothing everything, he stopped us all and said, “Don’t worry about anything.” I rolled my eyes. My internal monologue was dismissed and my body language showed it. I thought to myself, what dumb advice to give, it’s impossible to not worry about anything.

My brother Joe responded with, “You told me that years ago, best advice you every gave me.” I looked at him like he had two heads. Then my brother Frankie echoed his sentiments. I wasn’t saying anything and my brothers looked at me for some type of response.

“I disagree- that’s not good advice, you can’t just not ever worry about anything- that’d dumb and unrealistic.” They laughed and noted that worry doesn’t do you any good. Do what you can do to solve a problem or get something done and if you can’t, then sit back and see how it plays out.

I rolled my eyes again (internally, because they were looking at me). I started to speak and Frankie, put out his hand and said, “Ton, just try it- try it for a day. Just go through your day with ease. See how it feels.” My who body tenses just thinking about this because it feels impossible.

On my drive home from my dad’s house, a conversation I had with one of my students popped into my head. This little guy struggles with finding the positive in anything. I said to him once, “Dare to imagine that you could have a great, fun, and wonderful day learning. Imagine if you let yourself feel that way.”

I asked myself that same question, “Dare to imagine that most days could be free of overthinking and worry. How would that set me free?” I don’t know if it is the the pandemic and all the changes that have spawned from it, but I find myself just worry about things that I didn’t used to. I hate myself for doing it- I actively catch myself and tell myself to just push it out, but it’s hard.

So today and maybe even tomorrow, I am going to try not to worry about anything- I will take care of what needs to be taken care of and I will just let the day come to me. I am going to dare to imagine what it might feel like to filter out the nonsense that doesn’t deserve any worry and try to set myself free . Set myself free of all the worry, all the overthinking, and all the anticipation of what the week will bring and just be.