Worrying about small, insignifcant things

[DylanRowan]

So, I keep having this thing for worrying about everything. For example, someone asks me for an eraser at school, and I give it normally, calm. Suddenly, I get these thoughts such as "Did I give it appropriately? or "Was I too uncool?". An hour later, I am working at an activity, and I that same thought of giving the eraser appears again in my head. Or when I give an answer to a problem, I end up getting these thoughts, and I chill. I tend to forget most things people tell me exactly for that reason: I do not want to worry about these things. Most of my days are just playing video games and watching anime to simply just clear my mind. Funnily, I sometimes get involved in others' problems such as a fight or discussion, and I do not even care. Hell, I care more about how I talked to the "cool kid" when we were just trash talking and laughing at videos.


So, do you worry about small things as well?

 

[Alex]

I've had a lot of people like that around me in life and it did influence me at one stage, but then I realized there were more important things to think or worry about. My father is the worst and so anxious and he recently nearly died and it put things into perspective. he would worry about his car tax 3 months before it was due, then when he ended up dying in his hospital bed he realized all those things he had been worried about were pointless and trivial.


I also have another friend who were overthink things to an extent I had to tell her to stop as she would talk herself out of doing things. Seeing this through other people made me stop, or to cut down on worrying about things that were going to happen regardless.

 

[hades_leae]

That brings back memories from my high school days. There were so many small things that I worried about when it came to girls especially. I did something like hug a girl and then I'd ask myself could I have given a better hug, was it memorable to them. I might be in class, and a teacher ask me something, then I'd worry about my answer, and sometimes if I could've said that better.


There were many small things that others could consider over kill, but it is what it is, people are going to go threw that. I dealt with it, and now I'm fine.

 

[Zeesi]

I used to, but as I've grown as a person, I realize that worry is just a waste of time for me. I used to worry about whether I said this properly, or did I talk to that person too loudly, or whatever, but I soon realized that people have their own problems, and they have their own lives that they need to pay attention to.


People are busy living their lives, talking to their families, working on their jobs, dealing with their own life issues. They don't have a lot of spare time to sit around and think about me and the way I said or did a certain thing. When I began to think about things in this way, it became freeing to me.


I try to learn from my mistakes, because that is a wise thing to do. But I try not to dwell on feelings of inadequacy if I have done something stupid, or beat myself up about it. Nobody is perfect, we all have to live and learn.


Also, if I'm sitting around worrying about stuff, that means that some of my work is going undone. I try to concentrate on doing things that I want to do, like listening to music or writing. Or doing what needs to be done like cooking and housework.

 

[John Snort]

The line between what's small and insignificant and what isn't can be quite blurry. All things matter — the big and the small ones. Thing though is we tend to be too hard on ourselves most of the time. We can't be perfect all the time especially around those we may want to impress. Place no one on a pedestal and this problem will probably go away. As for worrying there's one way you can deal with it — have a plan. Just create a list of things which need to be done and challenges that have to overcome. Handle them one at a time. You tend to worry less when you know you are in control or trying to gain control of a situation.

 

[djanx]

Well, that happens sometimes. We all have to watch our thoughts. Just remember that other people matter very little, especially the lot you go to school with. I mean it may seem distant, but one day, you will not even remember their names. So, why worry about people who you won't even remember a decade later?

 

[kgord]

What seems small to some people may be large to other people, however, I think people with anxiety do tend to worry about things both large and small. I don't tend to worry about small things as much as I worry about larger things, I am not one necessarily to "sweat the small stuff" but like the above poster said, ask yourself if this is really going to matter 5 years down the road, you will probably find that it does not!

 

[Fae]

I tend to worry about small things in the same way, especially after social actions I haven't had as much experience with. I'll then continue to reflect on it at random points throughout the day, and even into weeks and years after the action happened. For instance, a few months ago I was at a baseball game and the guy next to me picked up two dollars on the ground as he was leaving, and asked if it was mine. I told him I couldn't recall dropping it, but he had the strangest smirk when he said that it must be his. Was I a fool and forgot there was $2 in my pocket? I keep agonizing over it and whether I should have remembered better.


I think I get stuck worrying about whether people will recall odd things about me because I pick up on those same details with other people. I sometimes have to be careful what I mention or do with them so they aren't put off by what I noticed. Maybe it takes a detailed mind to worry about those same details in yourself.

 

[Panic57]

I think little micro-negative thoughts are clues to a bigger problem. The social pressure of not being cool enough and a lack of confidence. I would figure out what the biggest core problem is that is causing the micro-negative thoughts. If you let them overrun you head, they will become a habit that's hard to shake.

 

[17emilyhalko]

I definitely worry about small things! It's irrational, really, but anxiety or any mental illness or disorder isn't rational. I'll worry about some of the strangest things, like seeing my boyfriend in public. If I know that I'm going to run into him in public, I begin to panic. It's not because I am not comfortable being with him in public, I'm just worried for some reason! I worry over what strangers think of me, about my small actions and insignificant things. I think that everyone has these fears to a certain extent, but you cannot let it overcome you, or else it would begin to hold you back. Try not to worry about what others think! You're entitled to be happy and to be yourself. If someone has a problem with something that you do, then that's too bad for them.

 

[111kg]

So you basically tend to overthink stuff and calculate all the scenarios possible? Depending of your lifestyle, that might not always be a problem. However, we worry often about the fact that will never be real. I mean, it's better to think about what could go wrong, but calculating everything is simply too much. It's mentally draining and it doesn't bring any real benefits. After all, if you do something wrong, people will let you know one way or the other and if something is meant to go wrong, it will go wrong, no matter what you do in order to prevent it from happening.

 

[rz3300a]

I tend to worry about small things when ti comes to certain areas of my life. For me, it is mostly having a plan and when things deviate from that plan, that is when I start to have issues. Even if it is something small and unrelated to the goal at hand, it is still a cause for worry and it gets to me. I would like to think that I am getting better with time, but I really cannot say so with any certainty. I know they say "don't sweat the small stuff", but that is just easier said than done.

 

[DylanRowan]

Thanks for the reply everyone! Yesterday at school I've been trying to sweat off most of the thoughts. I think I am still in the same position, but I am going to start by clearing my mind when talking to others so I can feel more relaxed. Probably I overthink everything so I think clearing it might help me.

 

[djanx]

You're very welcome. Just think of the big picture stuff. Try to get a birds eye view on things. The details take care of themselves. Like I said, you don't even know whether half the people you consider to be acquaintances will be around after a decade. So, why care about how they perceive things. Just live your life as you want. And instead of worrying about all that, focus on those friends around whom you don't have to think as much.

 

[explorerX7]

It may be surprising to know the number of persons that are affected by this habit. Many of them do it silently and the constant worrying and stressing may eventually to the deterioration of certain vital organs. I knew of one such person had the habit of stressing over every little problem and she died because her heart muscles had eventually failed and I am wondering if it was the constant worrying that had caused the failure. I guess it's not easy for someone to break out of this habit but I think it would be good if people could understand that worrying doesn't really help any situation it won't make the problem go away.

 

[fuzyon]

I obsess over every small thing and I even have anxiety about things that are not likely to happen but just in case, it's irrational and I can't control it. I think everyone that has anxiety in this forum suffers from stuff like this, we tend to obsess over the smallest things. Meditation helped me a lot to deal with stuff like this, it helped me live in the moment rather than always worry about the future.

 

[Jasmin Cottontail]

Yes I sometimes do worry about small things and it really isn't a nice thing for me since I always feel uneasy with it. And sometimes I tend to think about negative things like I worry too much like what if I lose this thing or what if I won't have a project or what if this happens or that. I don't know why I think that way and it just isn't right. That's why I'm practicing in setting my mind into positive mindset and altering it into thinking positive thoughts instead of negative because it does affect my everyday life.

 

[Alexandoy]

I was a worry wart when I was in my teens and I remember that I had wanted to be perfect in all I do. Yeah, I worry even for minor and petty things like wearing the right clothes (when any clothes would be fine at home) or evaluating the opinion of my friends for I do not want to hurt their feelings. My cousin called me a preservationist, one who do not want to go against the tide. Even now, there are times that I worry about small things like the cupboard, if the stock of food have not exprired, the repairs needed in the house like chipped paint, and so many other things that I try to remove from my mind with the help of my cellphone. Being busy makes me normal.