1. "You wouldn't worry about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do." Eleanor Roosevelt.
Worrying about what other people think about you is unproductive and illogical. Most people, most of the time, are thinking about themselves, not you. So don't waste your time.
2. "We worry about tomorrow like it's promised." Anonymous.
We don't know what tomorrow will be like and no amount of planning and worrying can control life's unexpected turns. Just do the best you can today.
3. "Be happy not because everything is good but because you can see the good in everything." Anonymous.
There is good in everything and in every day. Search for it.
4. "If you try to be something you're not, you'll end up being nothing." Anonymous.
Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not and anxiously live as a fraud. Be yourself. All other roles are taken.
5. "Some things are not important."
A huge amount of energy is typically spent worrying about details and situations in life that, in the big scheme of things, don't really matter. Let go of the what ifs, the playbacks, the myriad little things we worry about. Move on.
6. "If you want to know how rich you are, find out how many things you have that money can't buy." Anonymous.
We forget how many priceless things we have in our lives. Make your list and appreciate them daily.
7. "God knows what is better for us." Rabbi Avigdor Miller.
We often worry when our plans take an unexpected turn or we are challenged in a way we would have never chosen for ourselves. The best antidote to worry is recognizing that God has a plan for each of our lives and despite our own ideas, He always knows what is best for us.
(5) Hindy Kierman, August 12, 2015 12:14 PM
Worry, worry, worry
It's true that sometimes we worry about things that never happen. It is also easy to tell people about these five ways of not worrying, or this book that will give you guidelines for less worrying. I have come to the conclusion that it depends on a person's makeup and what their childhood environment was. I have a friend, who wanted to take my husband and I out for dinner, because my husband once drove her and her husband to the airport. While taking us out was completely unnecessary, my friend insisted. What made it even more bizarre was that she was facing very serious surgery, and was scheduling the date for all of us to go out to eat, after the surgery, as if there was no surgery in the future. I was flabbergasted, and she said, she cannot control the outcome of the surgery, but she can control the time and date of our going out.. We made the date, her surgery was b'h a complete success, and we had a very nice time. There is no way that I under those same circumstances could have had anything else on my mind but the impending surgery. I would not be able to picture life, until the surgery was over, let alone plan any events. Going out would be the last thing I would think of. My friend, at least outwardly, is always upbeat, happy,and optimistic,she is always smiling, and is generally a pleasure to be around. I am in awe of her, but that is not me. I don't worry about every little thing, but there are real concerns that I have, that no amount of smiling will change. Only Hashem can control those things, so I try to be upbeat, but it is not easy, and I do not have my friend's personality. Most people do not necessarily display their worry and concerns outwardly, but one would not be human if they did not have some levels of concern. Every aspect and stage in life, brings with it a whole new set of concerns.
All I can is, it is easier said than done.
(4) brura, August 11, 2015 11:01 AM
The simplicity is brilliance.
I like this article because it states simply the brilliance of following G-d's will and letting ourselves be guided by it. I fell again and am more challenged by it. I know there is the will of G-d in it an must surmount this grave challenge. But OY is it as well... a big ouch. I must try to understand the meaning. I know that I want to be in another city and be around Jewish people. Please, anyone, pray for that to happen. I will appreciate it so very much. I need all the prayers I can get. Don't we all?
(3) Mary, August 10, 2015 4:59 PM
worry
Like so many people, I have a tendency to worry and about these exact same things.
(2) Zsolt, August 9, 2015 10:16 PM
confidence
Very nice and useful quotes.
Perhaps we could add that we usually stop worrying when we feel confident.
And it is very difficult to muster confidence alone, simply in ourselves.
But when we are surrounded by a mutually supportive environment in such environment we gain stop worrying as loyal friends are surrounding us seeing to our necessities.
And as Jews such a mutually supporting environment, mutual responsibility is engraved into our "national constitution" since unity and mutual responsibility were the pledges our fore-bearers took at Sinai before receiving the Torah.
(1) Anonymous, August 9, 2015 2:16 PM
What if they're not "little things?"
I fully understand #5, but what if you are worried about very real dangers? Very real corruption? -and very real possibilities of catastrophe because of hatred for the Jewish People and betrayal of principles that we hold dear? Times are truly frightening for the Jewish People and I wish it was just paranoia but it's not. THEN what do you do?
judy, August 9, 2015 2:52 PM
worrying about what's going on in the world does nothing to change it. do what is within your power to do- get politically involved, donate money and time to organizations you see as helpful, those are things you can control. there's no point in thinking about the things that are not within your control.
Anonymous, August 9, 2015 3:50 PM
Jews Are Hated
The first suggestion in the article may apply to each of us as an individual, but members of some groups, such as Jews, are probably right to doubt the goodwill of those around them. (Did you know that there is a Facebook page called I Hate Israel? Don't bother complaining. I did, and several seconds later got some smoothly-written bumpf about how my report had been reviewed but the page does not violate Facebook's "community standards".
As for the last suggestion, some of us have several million doubts about God having a benevolent plan for each of us.
Dvirah, August 9, 2015 3:56 PM
Pray and Plan
You make the best contingency plans you can come up with...and pray you never need them!
Anonymous, August 9, 2015 8:32 PM
Worrying
My husband's grandmother used to say: "Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair - it feels good, but it doesn't get you anywhere."
MORDU, August 10, 2015 2:49 PM
THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE
There is an important ingredient that we need to have at all the time presence in our life. That is the presence that Hashem is our Creator, Provider and protector. When we read the Thora we find how many times our people were attack to destroy them and every time Hashem show them and is showing us that nothing happen to destroy our ancestor even though that many time things happen because of the lack of believe and trust in G-D. I always recommend to everyone to absorb the most important ingredient in our life and we will see everything different. This does not mean that we will not have adversity or that we have to sit back and do nothing about the situation. We have to act as if all depend on us and PRAY AS IF ALL DEPEND ON G-D
AMEN
MORDU