Worry?

Becoming a parent opens your mind up for an unmeasurable amount of worry.  Will my kids be nice?  Will they be autistic?  Will they be smart?  Will they be bullies?  What if someone bullies them?  What if they don't get asked to the Homecoming dance?  What if they get too many dates to high school dances?  What if they hate school?  What if they get cut from the team?  What if they can't find a job they love?  What if, what if, what if?

This kind of attitude is new for me because I am generally a non-worrier.  I don't have any worries about people breaking into my house (although my obsession with Criminal Minds lately could be changing that), or the love for my family, or what will happen 5, 10, 15 years from now.  As I tell Ryan, worrying about something does not change the outcome.  It just wastes my time.

So when those feelings of anxiety creep in, trying to pound their "what ifs" into my brain, I have to reconnect.  Recenter with my happy, chocolate faced, two year old love.  Because that little man gives us such joy, laughter, and bliss.  I would hate to miss a second of it worrying about whether or not something could happen. 

 

 

 “Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.”

- Lao Tzu