What is worry? What is the meaning of worrying?

What is the meaning of worrying? What is worry? Let’s find out the same by considering some thoughts. We come across various situations in our daily life and we think to ourselves,

• ‘I don’t have enough to support my family.’
• ‘My daughter is not getting married.’
• ‘What about my Son’s future?’
• ‘What will happen if this work doesn’t get completed in time?’
• ‘Will I pass my exams?’
• ‘What will my friends think of me?’
• ‘I have been sick for a long time; what will happen to me?’
• ‘Will I be able to get a job after I graduate?’
• ‘I lost all my assets; how will I be able to survive?’
• ‘What if I die; what will happen to my family?’
• ‘How will I pay the bills; it is almost month-end?’

What do we do when faced with these situations? We get overwhelmed and are unable to handle the situation at hand. When this happens, when a thought goes beyond a certain level, it is a worry. This is the exact meaning of worrying. Thinking has to be done up to a certain level and should not exceed its limits. It is normal as long as it does not distress you. Once it gets beyond that and puzzles you or troubles you, it is a worry. This is a simple worry definition.

This is how your mind goes from a simple thought to worrying, overthinking and anxiety:

• When we encounter a situation, the mind initially thinks about the pros and cons.
• After sometime the mind turns and twists, thus creating misery.
• When the twisted thinking continues, there will be suffocation.
• If the mind continues to twist further, worries will arise.

Worries blind and fracture all right understanding and knowledge. One can be careful, but not worry. There is a lot of difference between Being Careful and Worrying. Being Careful is awareness and to worry is to have anxieties, which eat you up from within.

So, in simple terms, what worrying means? Worrying is to keep contemplating about, ‘What will I do now?’, ‘What is going to happen now?’ and so on. Worrying creates obstruction to the work and delays all the work.

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says, “When you start worrying, you should know that the work at hand will be ruined, and if you do not have worries, then be assured that it is going to turn out good. Worry is an obstruction to any work.”

In reality, this world is such that there is no need for a person to have any doubts or worries about anything. Nature fulfills everyone's needs whenever it arises. One gets water for his bath, a mattress to sleep and so many other necessities even without worrying or thinking about them. So, by the same token, all the other needs will also be taken care if one remains natural and spontaneous.