My mother used to tell the story of the day she found me (age 5) in my bedroom crying my heart out.
"What's the matter, Bobby?"
"I don't have anything to worry about".
So the subject is Worry. How it drives our actions, and affects our lives... Recognizing worry for what it is and what we can do to use it in a positive way versus the negatives of Toxic Worry.
Wiki has an interesting article Worry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that begins this way:
Further on...
The openness of discussion here on ER often reflects some of the psychology of worry... in particular, the sharing of concerns and the search for solutions. While this may be an esoteric subject, recognizing the difference between productive and non productive worry may be a factor in successful retirement.
The sudden shift of responsibilities from the obligations of the corporate world, to the personal freedom of retirement , can leave a gap in the thought processes that need be recognized, and dealt with.
....................................................................................................
So... an observation... a refinement of Parkinson's Law.
"Worry expands to fill the time allocated to its completion".
...................................................................................................
So, wondering...
-Does retirement relieve worry or just shift concerns to other parts of life?
-Do things that used to be compartmentalized and dealt with as a small part of your life, now expand to take up much more time and effort?
-Are your decisions now more carefully crafted?
-Do small concerns now become more important?
-Do you think more about personal issues, or look at wider, more broad worries such as the economy, the environment, or social change?
-Do worries affect your sleeping habits?
Perhaps not a good subject for discussion but just some passing thoughts after a bad night's sleep brought on by overeating at dinner.
"What's the matter, Bobby?"
"I don't have anything to worry about".
So the subject is Worry. How it drives our actions, and affects our lives... Recognizing worry for what it is and what we can do to use it in a positive way versus the negatives of Toxic Worry.
Wiki has an interesting article Worry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that begins this way:
Worry is thoughts, images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. As an emotion it is experienced as anxiety or concern about a real or imagined issue, usually personal issues such as health or finances or broader ones such as environmental pollution and social or technological change. Most people experience short-lived periods of worry in their lives without incident; indeed, a moderate amount of worrying may even have positive effects, if it prompts people to take precautions (e.g., fastening their seat belt or buying fire insurance) or avoid risky behaviours (e.g., angering dangerous animals, or binge drinking).
Further on...
...................................................................................................Dr. Edward Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of Worry, argues that while "Worry serves a productive function", "anticipatory and dangerous" worrying—which he calls "toxic worry"--can be harmful for your mental and physical health. He claims that "Toxic worry is when the worry paralyzes you," whereas "Good worry leads to constructive action" such as taking steps to resolve the issue that is causing concern. To combat worry, Hallowell suggests that people should not worry alone, because people are much more likely to come up with solutions when talking about their concerns with a friend.
The openness of discussion here on ER often reflects some of the psychology of worry... in particular, the sharing of concerns and the search for solutions. While this may be an esoteric subject, recognizing the difference between productive and non productive worry may be a factor in successful retirement.
The sudden shift of responsibilities from the obligations of the corporate world, to the personal freedom of retirement , can leave a gap in the thought processes that need be recognized, and dealt with.
....................................................................................................
So... an observation... a refinement of Parkinson's Law.
"Worry expands to fill the time allocated to its completion".
...................................................................................................
So, wondering...
-Does retirement relieve worry or just shift concerns to other parts of life?
-Do things that used to be compartmentalized and dealt with as a small part of your life, now expand to take up much more time and effort?
-Are your decisions now more carefully crafted?
-Do small concerns now become more important?
-Do you think more about personal issues, or look at wider, more broad worries such as the economy, the environment, or social change?
-Do worries affect your sleeping habits?
Perhaps not a good subject for discussion but just some passing thoughts after a bad night's sleep brought on by overeating at dinner.
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