the worry habit
"Worry can arise spontaneously in the mind. But if we dwell on it, cultivate it, and rehearse it night after night, it slowly turns into a habit. Like a weed that is lovingly watered and nourished, it grows stronger, spreads, and takes over the garden of our mind. We get better at playing worry ping-pong. Each time we allow ourselves to wallow in it instead of letting go of it, worrying becomes more habitual and harder to stop.
"Mindfulness practice begins with awareness of spontaneous and automatic activities such as breathing and walking. With practice, we become aware of emotions that also arise spontaneously. We become aware of them at an earlier stage. This awareness gives us choices. We do not suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a ping-pong game that we are powerless to stop. We do not continue to nourish the feeling of worry with unwarranted thoughts of worry."
