Worry is related to our desires and expectations. Gautam who became Siddhartha (seeker of realization) and finally Buddha (the enlightened one) stated that desiring what we cannot have or obtain leads to unhappiness (worry, anxiety, emotional pain). To eliminate unhappiness (worry) we need to stop desiring. But desiring not to desire is itself a desire. Therefore desire only what can be obtained: not any more, not any less. But how can that be achieved? Buddha proposed the eight-fold path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Christ warned against anxiety (worry) (Matthew 6, 25-34) asking us to seek always the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. He said that we would be given all that we needed. He asked us to live in the here and now, and not to worry about the future.
I used to tell my clients to worry only if worrying helped them. And I cannot think of anyone who was helped by worrying. Philosophy from the trenches told by a wise man can help all of us. The story goes this way: “Either you are selected for the army or you are not. If you are not, you do not need to worry. If you are, you are sent to fight or not. If you are not, you do not need to worry. If you are, you are sent to the front line or not. If you are not, you do not need to worry. If you are, you are wounded or not. If you are not wounded, you do not need to worry. If you are, you are lightly or seriously wounded. If you are lightly wounded, you do not need to worry. If you are seriously wounded, you either get well or you die. If you get well, you do not need to worry; if you die, you cannot worry. So why worry?
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