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What I Did to Overcome the Habit of WorryingAuthor(s): Ethel WebbSource: The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 20, No. 9 (Jun., 1920), pp. 701-702Published by: Lippincott Williams & WilkinsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3407823 .

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Infantile Paralysis Infantile Paralysis

Archises of Pediatrics, Joseph G. Regan, M.D., Consideration of the Com- 701 plication of Poliomyelitis and Qf the General Treatment of the AcuX Stage (Vol. 35, No. 5, p. 257).

Royal Storrs Haynes, M.D., The Early Recognition of Poliomyelitis (Vol. 34, No. 6, p. 407).

Henry Heiman, M.D., Clinical Observattions on Polismyelitis, during the Epi- demic of 1916 in New York City (Vol. 34, No. 11, p. 846).

Walker Lester Carr, M.D., A Contribution on Poliomyelitis. Public Health Magazine, Alice Lou Pastridge, Course of Instruction for

Nurses on After Care of Infantile Paralysis (Vol. 11, No. 2, p. 104). Mary C. Perkins, Supervisor Visiting Nurse Association, Chicago, ABer

Care of Infantile Paralysis in the Homes.

WHAT I DID TO OVERCOME trHE HABIT OF WORRYING

BY ETHEL WEBB Walton, N Y.

I suddenly realized that I had formed the habit of worrying, and I found each day I was picking up more and more to worry about until my burden was fast spoiling not only my health and life, but also the lives of others more or less intimately associated with me. I was honest enough with myself to confess that it was an unwise and ungenerous test of affection to compel my family to put up with my moods, if my cares were more or less imaginary.

I sat down with a pad and pencil and set down in black and white the things that I was worrying most about, and it proved to be a long list. Then I sorted that list and put into one group my daily anxieties; in another group, the things I was afraid might happen. I discovered the keynote to all my trouble was fear, and no matter what happened, reality was never as dreadful as my imagination and fears painted it.

I sealed the lists in two envelopes and put them away for one week, and set myself the task of forgetting my worries. I knew there must be happiness and contentment in the world and I resolved to find some. I would learn to forget all unpleasant things, for possibly my very attitude toward life was drawing these causes of unpleasant- ness to me; I would find out. At least I would not worry about what I could not help or hinder, and would let to-morrow's burdens wait until to-norrow.

At the end of a week I opened the envelope containing my daily worry list and found at least half the things I was bothering about had never happened; some of the things that did happen proved to be

Archises of Pediatrics, Joseph G. Regan, M.D., Consideration of the Com- 701 plication of Poliomyelitis and Qf the General Treatment of the AcuX Stage (Vol. 35, No. 5, p. 257).

Royal Storrs Haynes, M.D., The Early Recognition of Poliomyelitis (Vol. 34, No. 6, p. 407).

Henry Heiman, M.D., Clinical Observattions on Polismyelitis, during the Epi- demic of 1916 in New York City (Vol. 34, No. 11, p. 846).

Walker Lester Carr, M.D., A Contribution on Poliomyelitis. Public Health Magazine, Alice Lou Pastridge, Course of Instruction for

Nurses on After Care of Infantile Paralysis (Vol. 11, No. 2, p. 104). Mary C. Perkins, Supervisor Visiting Nurse Association, Chicago, ABer

Care of Infantile Paralysis in the Homes.

WHAT I DID TO OVERCOME trHE HABIT OF WORRYING

BY ETHEL WEBB Walton, N Y.

I suddenly realized that I had formed the habit of worrying, and I found each day I was picking up more and more to worry about until my burden was fast spoiling not only my health and life, but also the lives of others more or less intimately associated with me. I was honest enough with myself to confess that it was an unwise and ungenerous test of affection to compel my family to put up with my moods, if my cares were more or less imaginary.

I sat down with a pad and pencil and set down in black and white the things that I was worrying most about, and it proved to be a long list. Then I sorted that list and put into one group my daily anxieties; in another group, the things I was afraid might happen. I discovered the keynote to all my trouble was fear, and no matter what happened, reality was never as dreadful as my imagination and fears painted it.

I sealed the lists in two envelopes and put them away for one week, and set myself the task of forgetting my worries. I knew there must be happiness and contentment in the world and I resolved to find some. I would learn to forget all unpleasant things, for possibly my very attitude toward life was drawing these causes of unpleasant- ness to me; I would find out. At least I would not worry about what I could not help or hinder, and would let to-morrow's burdens wait until to-norrow.

At the end of a week I opened the envelope containing my daily worry list and found at least half the things I was bothering about had never happened; some of the things that did happen proved to be

This content downloaded from 195.78.109.52 on Mon, 19 May 2014 20:10:53 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

T ze American Journal of Nursing T ze American Journal of Nursing 702 blessings; a part of the other things I had forgotten and the rest had no power to hurt me. At the end of a year I opened the remaining envelope, but by that time I had learned to overcome my habit of worrying, for like most bad things it proved to be only a habit.

I wish to say that there is a lot of happiness in evenr human being if he will only give it a chance to come out. If necessary scrub your memory every morning and start each day with a clean white page. Don't fret over your mistakes, but learn to profit by them. Happiness must be cultivateds it is not acquired by chance or accident. If we can learn to forget all irritating things and smile, we shall not have a chance to worry.

Furthermore, worrying brings on all sorts of nervous troubles and in time will make the victim positively ill. It breeds unhappiness and discontent, and creates an atnlosphere that is likely to poison onets whole life. Face life bravely, learn to smile.

'Learning to forget, and to overcome the habit of wormng," in ten lessons, would be one of the finest courses that men or women could take, atld one of the most beneficial to one's health.

A NEW UNIVERSITY AFFILTATION

A decision has recently been made by the Corporation of Yale University pro- viding for the affiliation of the Connecticut Training hool for Nurses of the New Haven Hospill, with the School of Medicine of Yale Universty. For two years the medical and bedside clinical instruction of the student nurses of this historic training school has been given by the faculty of the School of Medicine, but until now the afliliation has not been recognized officially.

702 blessings; a part of the other things I had forgotten and the rest had no power to hurt me. At the end of a year I opened the remaining envelope, but by that time I had learned to overcome my habit of worrying, for like most bad things it proved to be only a habit.

I wish to say that there is a lot of happiness in evenr human being if he will only give it a chance to come out. If necessary scrub your memory every morning and start each day with a clean white page. Don't fret over your mistakes, but learn to profit by them. Happiness must be cultivateds it is not acquired by chance or accident. If we can learn to forget all irritating things and smile, we shall not have a chance to worry.

Furthermore, worrying brings on all sorts of nervous troubles and in time will make the victim positively ill. It breeds unhappiness and discontent, and creates an atnlosphere that is likely to poison onets whole life. Face life bravely, learn to smile.

'Learning to forget, and to overcome the habit of wormng," in ten lessons, would be one of the finest courses that men or women could take, atld one of the most beneficial to one's health.

A NEW UNIVERSITY AFFILTATION

A decision has recently been made by the Corporation of Yale University pro- viding for the affiliation of the Connecticut Training hool for Nurses of the New Haven Hospill, with the School of Medicine of Yale Universty. For two years the medical and bedside clinical instruction of the student nurses of this historic training school has been given by the faculty of the School of Medicine, but until now the afliliation has not been recognized officially.

This content downloaded from 195.78.109.52 on Mon, 19 May 2014 20:10:53 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions