{"id":1445,"date":"2022-06-13T08:00:41","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T06:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/?p=1445"},"modified":"2025-12-01T17:08:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T16:08:54","slug":"sorgen-angste-umgang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/2022\/06\/13\/sorgen-angste-umgang\/","title":{"rendered":"When worries get the better of you: Back to more ease"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Perhaps you know the feeling: you lie in bed at night and your mind just won't stop racing. Thoughts about work, a decision you have to make, your children, the future, maybe even everything at once. For clients, this is often accompanied by a feeling of inner turmoil. And often there is one thing behind it all: anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h2><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Der Beitrag zum Schauen oder H\u00f6ren<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sorgen &amp; Angst verstehen: Wie du zu mehr Ausgeglichenheit kommen kannst\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hu0kjsU9PNo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Are you familiar with thoughts such as:<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">\u201cHow can I phrase this without getting my boss angry at me?\u201d<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">\u201cWhat if I overlook something at work?\u201d<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">\"Will I regret <a href=\"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/2024\/05\/27\/wie-trifft-man-die-richtige-entscheidung\/\">my choice<\/a> at some point?\"<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Worries and fears are fundamentally helpful in protecting us from danger and wasted energy, and in preparing us well for challenges \u2013 and, in the right measure, they are certainly effective. In the past, these same mechanisms ensured our survival. Today, the problem is that our brains react to deadlines, conflicts, or \u201cthe agony of choice\u201d almost as if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kv6HkipQcfA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our survival were at stake<\/a>. Given the complexity and freedoms of our everyday lives today, it is precisely this kind of reassurance that poses a real challenge to our mental health. In the following article, you will learn about:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Signs and characteristics of excessive worry<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Consequences of excessive worry<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">How to move from worrying to a healthier and more balanced everyday life<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"western\" align=\"center\">Characteristics of excessive worry<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1103262741\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1936052601\" class=\"col medium-2 small-12 large-2\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1926135827\" class=\"col medium-8 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-left\" style=\"background-color:#404b3b;\" >\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"is-border\"\n\t\tstyle=\"border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;\">\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">If you recognize several of the following points in yourself, the worries are probably taking more from you than they are giving you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Your body is often tense; you are easily irritable, restless, or sleep poorly.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Your mood is often negative.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">You often feel uncertain or helpless about what might happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Your attention keeps returning to possible dangers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">If several of these points apply, it is a sign that your worries have become a burden for you \u2013 not just \u201cuseful precautions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#col-1926135827 > .col-inner {\n  padding: 19px 19px 19px 19px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-165061330\" class=\"col medium-2 small-12 large-2\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n\t<div id=\"text-2570599338\" class=\"text my-justify-class\">\n\t\t\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Another problem with worrying: it takes an incredible amount of time before you actually feel well prepared for everything that is difficult or threatening. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">And then let's consider what happens when you play through more and more scenarios in order to gain certainty: Let's stick with the scenario involving your boss. The more possible formulations you go through, the more variations of your boss's possible reactions come to mind. So the exact opposite tends to happen: instead of feeling more certain, with each scenario you become more aware of everything that could go wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Perhaps you are familiar with the problem of thinking about one challenge and immediately being confronted with another problem. Your mind jumps from one problem to the next, highlighting everything that is difficult or could go wrong, and this may be linked to another issue that is also unresolved, and so on. First work, then the future, then your relationship. You go round and round in circles \u2013 but you don't get anywhere. It feels like you're working on things internally, but nothing really gets any easier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #282828;\">The consequences of worrying<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">I like to look at the short-term and long-term consequences of my clients' strategies with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">In the short term, worrying often feels helpful \u2013 perhaps you feel like you are creating control and security, or at least preparing for the worst. This is entirely realistic up to a certain point.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">In the long run, worrying costs a lot of time, energy, sleep, and peace of mind. It's like taking away your own self-confidence. Constant preparation undermines your confidence that you will somehow master the situation, and doubts about your own ability to act at a certain point in the future gain the upper hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><br \/><span style=\"color: #282828;\">The bottom line is that, unfortunately, the calculation often does not add up. And then the question arises: How can we deal with fear if not through worry?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #282828;\">How you can deal with anxiety and worries<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Recognizing that your fears have a hold on you is the first important step toward dealing with them better. From here, you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>Share instead of staying silent<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">You may feel that no one shares your worries. Share them anyway \u2013 with friends or trusted people. Those who withdraw, isolate themselves, or remain silent feel increasingly lonely, which is not a good basis for self-confidence and motivation. Many people feel that they are alone with their worries \u2013 but rest assured, this is not the case. Knowing that \u201cwe are all in the same boat\u201d reduces isolation, creates solidarity, and gives courage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>Recognize that preparation is not the same as action<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Research clearly shows that the longer we remain passive or merely \u201cprepare,\u201d the less likely we are to actually take action. This is especially true in difficult situations \u2013 such as a conversation with your manager. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to really tackle the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>See what is \u201cgood enough\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Perfect preparation is rarely necessary to get started. Often, \u201cgood enough\u201d is enough to take the first step \u2013 and it is precisely this step that is more effective than endless planning.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>Use the magical ingredient that German Goethe also used<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">Goethe sums it up perfectly: \u201cSuccess has three letters (two, in english): DO.\u201d Real change does not come from constantly rethinking things, but from taking action. Trying things out is often more helpful than theoretical perfection. Instead of getting bogged down in details, take risks and try new things to gain genuine feedback and clarity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>Acknowledge feelings and explore options for action<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">When you worry, you focus on things that are (or will be) beyond your control. A key part of the process is therefore to recognize the associated uncertainties and fears and learn to deal with them. At the same time, it is worth examining your actual scope for action: What concrete steps can you take despite the uncertainty? How do I want to spend my everyday life?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #282828;\"><strong>Seek professional support if necessary<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #282828;\">A psychologist can help you to better manage your emotional barriers and plan concrete steps that will actually get you moving toward building a life that you enjoy living.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Worries are therefore a useful mechanism \u2013 but only up to the point where they rob you of excessive time, energy, confidence, and inner peace. The important thing is not to make the thoughts disappear immediately, but to notice them, treat them with compassion, and at the same time take small, concrete steps (good enough instead of perfect). Sharing, trying things out, and testing your own scope for action will help you get off the merry-go-round of thoughts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><br \/>Perhaps you not only have worrisome thoughts about the future, but also about the past and generally spend a lot of time thinking? Then my article about <a href=\"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/2025\/06\/16\/was-ist-ueberdenken-wie-du-aussteigst\/\">rumination<\/a> might be interesting for you. Did you find my article helpful? Feel free to share it with friends and acquaintances if you think it could be helpful for them.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wir alle kennen es: Das sich Sorgen um alles m\u00f6gliche, das in der Zukunft schief gehen k\u00f6nnte. Erfahre hier, ob du dich in einem ungesunden Ausma\u00df sorgst und was du tun kannst.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nicht-kategorisiert-de"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1445"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2800,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1445\/revisions\/2800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nina-uffelmann.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}