I'll admit that even on the sunniest of days, I carry an umbrella in my backpack "just in case." Partly, this has become a habit for me and partly, I feel more secure if I am prepared for every possible situation (and this week, the umbrella has come in handy quite a few times).
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| "A Sea of Umbrellas," image courtesy of Penn State |
But what good does the umbrella do for me on a sunny day? It adds to the already heavy load on my back, which may pose a problem fifty years from now. It scrunches notebooks, creates a strange, suspicious looking lump, and just serves as a nuisance. The same could be said about the act of worrying. It scrunches positivity, creates a suspicious lump of negative thoughts in the back of my mind, and truly serves as a nuisance.
Worrying is stupid. That's an undeniable fact. So often, we think of all the worst-case scenarios when we are trying something new, challenging ourselves, or going about our normal daily routines.
We have all been going through a few taxing weeks of exams, which have certainly added a degree of worry and stress to our lives. While studying this past week, I noticed that whenever I became even slightly discouraged, I thought, "What if I'm studying the wrong material?", "What if I forget this the minute I get to the test?", "What if I fail?", "What if...?"
Worrying is stupid.
The fact is, we cannot spend time dwelling on the "What If's." All we are capable of doing is working hard in the moment and letting our work speak for itself when the time comes. Hopefully, everything will fall into place. And if it doesn't, we have the knowledge that we did all we could. We pick ourselves back up again and continue to work hard to meet and surpass our next obstacle in life.
Dalai Lama XIV said, "There are only two days of the year when nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow, so Today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly live."
You cannot worry about yesterday's troubles because they cannot be undone. You cannot worry about tomorrow's potential shortcomings because they cannot be predicted. The best thing you can do for yourself is to live with your gaze grounded in the present moment, focusing on the task at hand, content with the current happenings in your life.
It's a bit strange to me that only the articulate Wiz Khalifa could teach me this all-important lesson, but I'm grateful that I learned it. And I think from now on, I'll leave my umbrella behind (unless, of course, a hurricane or monsoon is in the forecast...*cough* Saturday *cough*).
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| "Today I Forgot My Umbrella" by Leonid Afremov |
Fantastic! I'm actually writing on this topic next week, and I completely agree! Dalai Lama XIV's quote sums it up greatly! I absolutely love quotes(even though I can rarely arrange them right in my mind for quoting later), and you're coming out with some awesome ones, so keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard this quote from Wiz! But I love it! I loved this post. Carrying around an umbrella is so relatable with the unreliable weather here. It's great how your quotes come from a wide range of sources: from Wiz to the Dalai Lama, they're all fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI think this is an incredibly important topic that everyone needs to think about. Worrying about things we have no control over really is completely pointless, and it can only lead to frustration and negativity. Even worrying over the things we do have control over is rather meaningless, as it basically says we doubt ourselves and our abilities. When we worry over things we need to do, it's saying that we don't trust ourselves and we're afraid. I do believe it's important to plan ahead, but most worries are unnecessary, and your post was a helpful reminder of that!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great, well organized, and articulated blog post. I can totally relate to the way that you took this quote and talked about, both literally and figuratively. I actually wore rain boots and a rain jacket, today, because I was worried it would rain. I am also a worry "wart" when it comes to exams, speeches, anything.
ReplyDeleteThis has certainly been a taxing past couple weeks and I actually feel better after having read this. There is so much we could be stressed over, and perhaps some stress is a good thing as it forces us to prioritize and work hard, but overall we should be enjoying ourselves too. I think it was interesting for you to point out how worrying causes us to "scrunch" positivity because this is so true, as we become stressed and irritable. However, maybe I should worry just a bit more, at least about the weather, as I have forgotten my umbrella several times this week.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brooke! This is my first time stopping by, and I'm glad I did! First of all, the title of your blog is awesome. It's so concise, and catchy. Second, I, myself, love reading, writing, and hearing quotes, but when I see a quote that encourages some action, I tend to do the absolute opposite, haha. Third, your writing seems very natural and flowing, which makes your blog very easy and enjoyable to read. Look forward to more!
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