Why You Should Stop Worrying

Hakuna Matata!!!

What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata!
Ain’t no passing craze

It means no worries
For the rest of your days
It’s our problem free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!

If you aren’t familiar with the phrase hakuna matata, STOP, REWIND, and go back to 1994 and watch one of Disney’s most iconic and epic animated films The Lion King. In the Pride Lands of Africa you will meet Simba a young lion cub, and Timon & Pumba, a meerkat and warthog duo. Timon & Pumba come in at a difficult time in young Simba’s life and teach him a new way to live- with hakuna matata. The phrase is swahili for “no worries” and encourages you to release your worries and embrace life.

Worrying has it’s roots in evolution and is derived from the human desire to predict and proactively resolve future occurrences. However, worrying it’s self often doesn’t provide any solution and the vast majority of things that people worry about never occur. This “worry” and “event not occurring” mental connection can create a bond between the two, convincing your brain that perhaps the “worry” prevented the “worried about event” from occurring. Logically we know this is not the case, but the reinforcing aspect can cause us to continue to repeat the process until we make a conscious choice to stop.

Worrying has long been known as a source of much strife and strain to both the mind and body. Worrying has a direct impact on physical health, triggering the “fight or flight” system, it releases hormones into the body including cortisol. This results in increased heart rate, higher risk for coronary issues, digestive issues, headaches, muscle pains, immune system suppression and so on. These stress hormones are partially responsible for the detrimental psychological effects of worrying as well, including fatigue, irritability, and problems concentrating.

With no further ado let’s use some Disney inspo to take a look at some of the benefits of embracing Hakuna Matata in your life!

Worry Less, Love More

Walk away from worry and walk towards love. Worrying can cause you to be in a constant state of defensiveness and view everything and everyone as a potential threat. This can lead you to alienate individuals who otherwise might be a source of love as well as stifling your ability to be open enough to share your love with others. Love is one of the most beautiful aspects of life and at the core of the human experience, enjoy it!

Time to Work on What You CAN Control

The less worrying you do the more energy you can spend doing functional problem solving. When you spend time thinking about every possible thing that could go wrong and situations that in reality you can’t control you can often neglect the simpler preparation for those things that you can control. You may think the dramatic and tragic scenarios your envisioning are more important than little task completions that would make tomorrow easier, but if you can’t control it you are expending energy with no benefits.

Be Present and Appreciate

You would be surprised at the space worrying can take up in your mind and how it can make it harder for you to perceive the world around you. Your mind’s eye can become overwhelmed when it’s full of dread. So, if you spend all day wondering what would happen if all the flowers in the world disappeared, you would miss how beautiful all the ones around you are. Spend more time appreciating what you have and less time worrying about losing it. Smell the flowers!

Don’t Fret, Be Nicer

Worrying can cause you to hold onto negativity and can making you more likely to lash out at those around you. The more you worry the more irritable you can become. When you paint the world in a negative light everything can feel like the enemy leaving you jaded and ready for battle. Put away the claws and give others a chance to make you smile instead of snarl!

Lift Up Those Who Look Up to You

Whether you are the ultimate role model- a parent, or have younger siblings or friends who admire you, being a shining example for those who look up to you is always rewarding. Hakuna Matata is too good to keep it a secret, live a life unshackled from worry and show those you care about how freeing it can be. Your new worry free attitude will help lift them up as well!

More friends!

At this point you could imagine why someone full of worry may not make the best company. Humans have a strong ability for picking up on others emotions and even if someone does not share their worries with you they are still in the room. Worry like any other negative emotion can also have a tendency to spread and no one wants to go away from an interaction feeling worse than when they entered it. Keep it worry free and attract more people with the same life enjoying spirit!

Have more fun!

Enjoy NOW, live your life to the fullest and have more fun! Worry doesn't leave much room to let loose and experience all the potential joy that life has to offer you. Letting go of worry can lift you to a higher sense of empowerment in life by realizing you don’t have to, and more importantly you can’t control everything. So let loose and enjoy the moment!

Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy, be happy now

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/think-act-be/201610/5-reasons-we-worry-and-5-ways-worry-less

http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/how-worrying-affects-your-body#1

Photos and Hakuna Matata Video Courtesy of Disney

Gifs from Giphy.com

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