Why Worry? Be Happy.

It's easy to worry. No effort is required. I've always been a worrier. About, everything, including my kids, my health, my finances, my daily productivity, my addictions and my inability to control them. It can get a little discouraging. What is important though is that you don't let worry paralyze you or cause you to act in self-destructive ways. This is especially relevant now.

Fear, worry, anxiety are all around us. It's difficult to be positive when it seems that the economy is collapsing and you don't know whether or not you'll be homeless in six months, three years, or some time in the future. And even if our economy does improve, there are a host of other concerns, from terrorism to environmental destruction, and all the little things that preoccupy us each day.

I've been fortunate in my life. I've been open about my feelings and my weaknesses. I have met a few people who have helped me. I can think of three ways that I have learned from others to combat worry.

#1 Be grateful for what you have. (Taught to me by Brady Grace in a moment of intense anxiety.)

#2 Take care of your basic needs. Eat healthfully, exercise, and try to improve yourself each day (Taught by my father over many years. He actually lives this way and is ninety-seven.)

#3 Have productive days. A productive day is one in which you do something for yourself, you do something for someone else, and you do something to make the world a little better. (Taught to me by G.I. Gurdjieff in his final book Life is Real Only Then When I Am).