It’s okay to worry. Everyone has their own daily worries.

Like leaving the house and wondering if you turned the hair straighteners off (and then checking 5 times like an idiot because you don’t trust you did).

Or suddenly thinking if you remembered to buy that important birthday card on time.

Or worrying whether you’ll get a good grade on that assignment you’ve been working so hard on.

It’s natural to worry, and it shows you care.

You’re not a bad person for overthinking a situation, and don’t feel bad if someone thinks you’re being crazy for doing so. It means you’re a caring, loyal, and loving person.

However, for some, these worries can consume their lives, rob them of their happiness, and stop them from living a positive life.

I can honestly say that worrying has stopped me from living a normal life sometimes, and it doesn’t always just have an effect on me, but also the people around me. There’s always that person who will tell you to relax, take a chill pill, stop stressing, or even dare ask ‘why are you stressing so much?!’ who will only make you feel crazier.

And in times like this, I feel I have to really distance myself from everyone because I turn into an uncontrollable snapping monster.

So, if you overthink like this, you are not alone. When I’m going through an anxious time I have all sorts of things running through my mind, so here are some tips that I have realised from my own experience have helped.

• It’s okay to have bad days

Or if these days turn into weeks, maybe even months. It is okay. Sometimes it can feel as though the world is against you. You wake up late for work, your makeup isn’t going well, and your hair isn’t sitting right. You rush to work only to get stuck in traffic. All this rushing and you think, did I lock the door? When you get to work you think you can try to relax, but you remember you forgot to pay that bill. And then it’s on your mind for the rest of the day.

But you are not the only one who has days like this. It is important to ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen? You know that all the little worries will be sorted, maybe not straight away but sometimes you are not in control of how they get sorted.

 In reality, everything is fine, and you are fine. I try to remind myself of this, and when I snap out of this and things get too much, that is when it is important to talk to someone.

• You’re having a bad body day

Sometimes when things aren’t going well it can affect your mood about everything. You might look in the mirror during your bad week and suddenly feel unhappy with your appearance, even though last week you were completely positive about it.

Again, overthinking your body image shows you care, but it can really knock your confidence down.

When I go through times like this, I make myself remember that there is nothing wrong with my body. I felt absolutely fine with it the week before, so what’s changed? I know it is just a bad week, so I try to not let it get to me too much. I also don’t feel bad about indulging in some comfort food to try and cheer myself up hehe.

Also, if you’re feeling rather sluggish then it is always good to do some exercise. There is something so cleansing about getting fresh air, and that and exercise both release endorphins which will help make you feel much better!

• Feeling like you’re not good enough

You will ALWAYS be good enough, in fact more than good enough. You are someone’s reason to smile, whether that be your parents, your sibling, or your other half. So stop thinking you aren’t good enough!

And if there is someone in your life who is actually making you feel like you’re not good enough, or that they make you feel like there’s some sort of competition with someone else, then GET THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE!

No one deserves to have you in their life if that is how they are making you feel.

• Take a break from social media

I meant it when I said I have to distance myself from people when I’m not feeling good.

Otherwise I push people away with my negativity and I honestly hate doing that.

But I found that coming off my phone really helps.

Social media consumes our lives, we see other people and we compare ourselves to them. We spend time searching our other half’s exes and other people we believe live a better life. Whilst it’s not healthy to be comparing yourself to others all the time, it’s particularly unhealthy when you are going through a negative time.  

So, take a break from your phone and social media, have some quality time with yourself.

So those are a few points to show you that it’s fine to worry, but when you’re feeling down then read this to remind you how to try and turn the negatives into positives. They won’t solve your worries, but they will help you control your emotions a bit better.

Here are a few things to remember:

• Accept that worrying is normal. Even if you worry more than others, it can’t be helped it’s just the way you are.
• Don’t give yourself a hard time! Learn to forgive yourself. We are only human, and we make mistakes. What’s the point overthinking what you could have said instead? Don’t self-doubt, it’s not healthy.
• Keep yourself busy. This helps get things off your mind.
• Don’t change yourself. Remember that overthinking means you’re a caring and loyal person, and there is nothing wrong with that.