Would it help?

Last night I watched the film Bridge of Spies.  An excellent film – I highly recommend it.  But I digress!  In the film Tom Hank’s character, lawyer – James Donovan, asked the Russian spy, Rudolf Abel, three times, if he was worried when he demonstrated no outward signs of worry.  The first time; when he was arrested by the Americans.  The second; just before sentencing when he was potentially facing the death sentence, and the third time; when he was being handed back to the Russians, not knowing whether they would shoot him or welcome him with open arms.  Each time the Russian spy, with a calm and rather quizzical look, replied “Would it help?”

This fits with my philosophy about worrying.  I have never yet met anyone who has managed to prevent a problem or change the course of events purely through worrying.   If it is actually possible to change the course of events through worrying, then clearly I’m not worrying well enough – because it isn’t working. 

So if worrying about something will not make one iota of difference – why do it?

Generally worrying fits into the category of low quality thinking for me.  Although admittedly I’ve never had to worry about a potential death sentence, the normal outcome of worrying and low quality thinking is that I feel bad or low. So whenever I notice that I am worrying about something – I choose to stop.  Granted, sometimes it takes longer than other times, but now I let go of the worry as soon as I can and choose to focus my energy on some different thinking.  High quality thinking.  A type of thinking that might actually help the situation.