Did you know that worry is only 8% efficient according to researchers? In plain words, out of a hundred worries you will have, only eight will come true and ninety two will not. Wow! I doubt any of us would buy anything that didn’t work 92% of the time. We’d throw it in the trash and feel jipped. “That was a waste of time,” we’d say.

Most emotions and stress in life, be it after trauma or otherwise, come from thoughts. Do you ever wonder why it is that your mind seems to automatically drift to negative thoughts rather than to positive ones? According to theorists it is thought that as humans evolved, they needed to pick up on the possible dangers in their environment to survive, and the brain developed a tendency to focus on the negative things in their lives. So you say, “Well, if it’s an inborn trait, that means I’m doomed to worry.”

No. You are a human with an incredible ability to take conscious control of your thoughts and actions. You can get in touch with your thoughts and once you know what you are worried about you can deliberately decide to stop the thoughts and replace the negative ones with positive ones.

So first of all, think of something that would help you relax and enjoy life more. Maybe you remember a time at the ocean lying in the sun on the beach, or a time riding your motorcycle. Or you may have a dream of becoming a speed skater. Whatever it is, start practising to replace the worry thoughts with positive thoughts.

Remember, your worries are 92% ineffective. You might as well wait to worry until you really need to.