There is an old saying that goes like this; “you can’t change the past and you can’t change the future, but you can ruin the present by worrying about both.”

There is difference between worry and anxiety. Worry resides in our mind and anxiety affects both mind and body. Worry is usually specific where anxiety is more general. Worry is about actual situations, anxiety is more, what-if thinking. Worry is usually more temporary where anxiety is longstanding. Worry doesn’t usually impair function, anxiety does. Last one – If worry persists, it can turn into anxiety.

Anxiety is like the old Lay’s Potato Chip commercial – “you can’t eat just one.” Anxiety feeds off worry and gets stronger each day you worry until one day you look up and you are gripped with a fear that can affect the way you live.

We can’t change past decisions because if we could, I would be a gazillionaire. We really (when you think about it) can’t change the future but we can have an impact on that future by the decisions we make today. Life is never carefree like the guy laying on some beach for the rest of his life, but we can choose today as the diving board toward a better future. KT