Worry Jar Exercise to Reduce Anxiety
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Fillable PDF Worry Jar Template
I. Introduction
Feeling the weight of your worries is getting really heavy? Well, what if I told you you did not have to carry them around all the time? Introducing, the “Worry Jar Exercise”
II. Understanding the Worry Jar Exercise
It’s a really simple exercise. You simply write down whatever is bothering you on a small piece of paper, and then you put that paper into the jar. Or you write it down ALL your worries on one piece of paper (or notebook page). This way you don’t even need a jar!
This helps you move your worries out of your mind and clear up some mental space. You might ask, “So what, now I got my worries on a piece of paper. How does that help me?”. Well, you need to first get clear on what’s causing you anxiety before you can work on the solution. The whole purpose of the worry jar is to create awareness about your anxieties (so you could deal with them more effectively later on)
It helps us externalize our worries, making them easier to handle and less overwhelming. It's a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, a method used by psychologists all over the world to help people manage their mental health.
What's really cool about this is that it doesn't matter how old you are, where you come from, or what you feel anxious about. The Worry Jar is an exercise for everyone: children, adults, and even elderly folks.
III. The Importance of Emotional Management
Managing our emotions is incredibly important because if you leave your anxieties unchecked, they will most likely not go away on their own. They will seem like huge, scary monsters that are out of our control and they tend to get bigger over time. They can interfere with your sleep, distract you from your daily activities, and lower your overall well-being. Your emotions play a significant role in your mental health, and that's why having effective tools to manage them, like the Worry Jar, is so important.
IV. Using the Worry Jar Effectively
So, how do you use this Worry Jar most effectively? It’s pretty easy: Whenever you find yourself worried about something, write it down and put it in your jar (or write it down on a separate piece of paper that you keep around). Doing this as soon as the worry pops up in your mind can be really helpful. But the process doesn't end with just writing down your worries…
When you‘ve written down your worries make time, perhaps once a week, to sit down and go through the worries in your jar. Categorize each one into Action, Reflect or Accept categories.
Action: These are the anxieties that require you to take action in order to resolve. They won’t go away on their own. If you’ve done the Worry Jar exercise for a month or so and you find that there are some recurring anxieties that you keep putting in the jar, then chances are that these are the ones that require you to take action!
Reflect:
Some worries can’t be handled by direct actions (although taking some sort of action may still help). Health Anxiety for example may subside a bit if you go see the doctor, but as soon as you feel some sort of physical pain, it comes right back.
These are the sorts of worries that require some self-reflection on WHY they keep causing you anxiety. (Or some therapy).
For this category of anxieties, you could do a simple “Worry Exploration” exercise.
Accept:
Finally, there are just some things you can’t control and need to accept. Those are the inevitabilities of life that you just need to accept. This category may include irrational fears or unlikely events that might happen.
For this category of anxieties, something like “Fear Setting” might help! (Download PDF Template here)
You may also discover that some of the things that seemed like huge issues a few days ago don't worry you as much anymore. Some of the worries will still seem significant - and that’s okay. Just categorize them into Action, Reflect, and Accept and take it from there!
V. The 8 Benefits of the Worry Jar Exercise
Externalization of Worries: The exercise allows you to physically externalize your worries, which makes them manageable and not so overwhelming.
Encourages Self-Reflection: By writing down and reviewing your worries you promote a deeper understanding of your emotional state. The more aware you are, the better you are able to cope!
Improves Problem-Solving Skills: When you’re reviewing your worries, you are more likely to find solutions than just letting them live in your head rent-free
Reduces Anxiety and Stress Levels: Regularly offloading worries into a worry jar decreases general anxiety and stress levels.
Increases Emotional Intelligence: The exercise can enhance emotional intelligence by helping you recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions more effectively. Once you got a better handle on your own emotions, you’ll be better equipped to handle other people’s emotions as well.
Promotes Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Instead of resorting to unhealthy coping strategies like denial or substance use, the worry jar helps you tackle your worries head-on more constructively.
Creates a Sense of Control: It can help you feel a greater sense of control over your worries, fostering feelings of empowerment.
Boosts Self-Efficacy: Over time, as you see yourself successfully managing your worries, you can develop increased belief in your ability to handle challenging situations.
VII. Potential Limitations and Concerns
Now, while the Worry Jar exercise can be very helpful, remember that it isn't a cure-all. It's just a tool. And using it just on your own might not be as beneficial as with a trained professional. Why is that? Because we all have some limiting beliefs that hold us back. A trained professional is equipped to notice them in you and help you overcome them so you don’t get stuck! If you find that your worries are becoming too intense or that you're feeling consistently overwhelmed or anxious please seek help from a mental health professional. Never hesitate to reach out for professional help when you need it.
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