how to take life less seriously?

[Claire Verlyn]

i often feel anxious about almost everything in my life. i am always afraid of something bad happens or bad outcomes that might happen to me in the future. and when that bad things happen, it is always hard for me to get over that bad feeling. i suddenly realized that my problem is that i am always anxious about something bad that might happen in the future and if that happens, it will be hard for me to just keep staying positive and doing the right things that i have to do. sorry if i am being too repetitive in this post..you can just read the underlined sentence.

[pluto]

Practice Mindfulness, Live and be more in the present. Everything but that is living in the past/future thus causes of depression/anxiety. You are creating it by thinking too much. Do something new in life, have fun and just be yourself.  Meditation helps too and activities that allow you to focus on one thing at a time. Maybe take a break from internet/social media/tv ect.. get out into nature, wind down from electronics and the technological world and ground yourself, bath in the sun, go hiking or connect with animals and similar activities where you are surrounded in an environment that is less ego-mind oriented and more with the body and just being as animals do in nature and breath in her essence.

Sooner or later you will start to feel more and more like yourself, the more you do this the more the new patterns of life replace the old patterns then sooner or later you will be a completely different person as if your anxiety/depression never existed in the first place.

Edited June 28, 2018 by pluto

[Solace]

When you focus on the future, you are sending your creative energy into something that doesn't exist. You're empowering an illusion. I would say all @pluto said is so important, to get outside, feel the grass, the wind and the sun makes a big difference  Spend time doing things you love, make a big list, and make another list of things you haven't done yet but may love, and start spending every  moment of your day doing those things.

Whenever we think of the future or the past we use the Acronym WAR. WAR stands for worry (rooted in fear or some core belief), anticipation (of an undesirable future outcome), and regret (from not doing something in the past). As a mindfulness practice whenever you see these patterns immediately stop and become present using the acronym RAW which stands for Respect (for what is present), Appreciation (of knowing that whatever is present could only be here for our highest evolution), and Welcoming (of whatever arises). WAR shows you when your body needs more love, not less. This is all based on Matt Kahn's work who is truly enlightened, and has been in a samadhi for 15 years.

I hope you benefit from this, and become more mindful of the patterns that run in your mind, that are only here to be loved, adored and respected like never before as the loving parent you always wanted in your life.

[Major Tom]

Learn the noting technique for meditation and apply it to anxiety throughout your day. When you note anxiety don't resist it, dive deep into it and really feel it. In away, be sadistic about it because the idea is to desensitize yourself from anxiety.

[zoey101]

You could just gain some perspective. When "bad things" happen, I try to remind myself that there are 7 billion people on this planet. A good number of those people live in War torn areas, where "goodbye" could be for good.

Another portion of that 7 billion are people who have fled their countries, for whatever reason, to make a better life for themselves and their families, but found themselves in a country that hates them for even trying to be better and treats them like less than garbage. 

No matter what I face, I am alright compared to those. 

It's all about perspective.

[S33K3R]

I was that way weeks ago. I spent years studying meditation but it didnt settle that thing that caused me to get anxiety and depression. I only knew what to do once I had them. I recently realized the cause of most of my misery is a mild desire to obsess that intensifies if left unchecked. I made a conscious decision to no longer allow myself to obsess and the inability to focus is almost gone. The whole time I was jumping from one obsessive thought to another. I did meditations to control that through always remaining aware. Its very hard but not impossible. But after discovering the obsessive repetitive cycle that always ended in anxiety and then depression. I haven't had a problem. I dont know if this is similar to what you are experiencing but this information is gold to anyone with this problem. Its easy to implement and easy to understand why its so damaging. Ever since letting that way of being go I have completed so many things I have been procrastinating. I have this strong flow of energy I feel I have tapped into. All from deciding to turn away from any obsessive thoughts. 

 

BTW

I never take life seriously. Being serious is rigid. Like a dead tree. It breaks under pressure and takes longer to adapt. I am forever trying to find ways not to be serious. 

Edited June 28, 2018 by S33K3R

[Gabriel Antonio]

Hang out with green people! (social dynamics)

Meditation will only make you more serious.

[Guest Quanty]

You got traumas in your lungs. Tap into Breath. 

[S33K3R]

I have gotten much better at not taking life too seriously by refusing to allow thoughts to remain in my focus longer than they need to be. This has changed my outlook from being scatter brained and not confident, to being focused and very confident. Somehow my tendency to obsess over things that dont matter blanket the important things and make me unsure of my position due to lack of awareness. This change has been a significant step for me. 

[LiakosN]

@S33K3R could you please refer to some obsessive thoughts? I have obsessive thought for my body all the time. 

[S33K3R]

@LiakosN Yes in the past I have had obsessive thoughts about negative relationships in my life. I have a family with not so good relationships. My sister, mother and father. I would obsess about various things they did. Such as my sister destroying our relationship over a little bit of extra work she did for a month. I consider what she did to be petty and it is very easy for my mind to obsess and that will begin to tear me down within I would say about 5 minutes. The longer I think about those things I have no control over the more they cripple my ability to focus on what I can control. 

 

It was hard for me to basically abandon my previous hobby of obsessing about others shortcomings but once I realized in real time that it was improving my over-all quality of life. It became easier once I realized the improvements from just changing the way I pay attention to my thoughts.

 

I believe over-all this realization is what the mindfulness meditations are getting at. But for me that was kind of just a shot in the dark not really telling me the goal to aim at. With this it is clear and makes sense. 

Edited July 10, 2018 by S33K3R

[Lucas Lousada]

just dont

[KenDo]

So I understand that many people worry about future problems. I get that that can be stressful. But look at it this way, you never know for sure what will happen unless you are a fortune teller  So the reason this is happening with many is because they do not control their mind. Mind is a tool that can be trained. For example you can put your attention on a task and then your mind is busy with that and won't think as much about other problems. Or you can do sports to get into your body and calm your mind. 

What makes me relax and stop thinking is taking a nice hot bath

[Sashaj]

Also medication can help some people. Not everyone is ready to meditate their problems away