Don’t Worry, Everything Will Be Alright

I had to stop worrying before worrying stopped me.

I used to think that a positive mindset meant you were always happy. I thought it meant you just went through life pretending that bad things didn’t happen, and cloudy days were simply not real. For years, I was convinced that in order to have a positive mindset, you could never admit that you were sad or in trouble. Thank God I discovered the truth before it was too late.

A lot of my life has been spent worrying that if I didn’t figure out how to be more positive, I would die without ever having truly lived. I worried about not understanding my dreams or fully knowing my purpose. I worried about feeling alone, especially when I was surrounded by people who said they loved me but never really took the time to get to know me. I was worried that even if I had a vision for my life, I wouldn’t know where to begin, and I probably wouldn’t have enough time to make my dreams come true. 

This is going to sound so silly, but please believe me when I say this.

One day, a short while ago, I thought to myself, “what would happen if I just stopped worrying?” I really wanted to know what my life would be like if I just let go of the anxieties and the fears that have served as the majority of my thoughts for such a long time. I actually began to look up some quotes for inspiration and I’ll be honest – I don’t really know who all these people are, but here’s what I found:

“Don't carry worries around," she always says. "They're heavy.” ― Sona Charaipotra

“Don't spend your life wondering "what if" and worrying over something you have no control. What's done is done. Looking backwards will cause you to miss out on new blessings ahead. Move on.” ― Germany Kent

“Don't worry about not doing "it" perfectly right now. It's ok, just keep at it, you will soon settle in it and then you'll be glad you didn't give up.” ― TemitOpe Ibrahim

“Don’t feel guilty about what you didn’t know before; feel proud about the small step you already took by joining this great project.” ― Raad Ammari

“Release the burden. Letting go has all the answers.” ― Hiral Nagda

“Do not come into agreement with fear. Activate your faith, live in victory, speak over your life and expect great things to come your way.” ― Germany Kent

“Fear is nothing but an opportunity to practice Faith.” ― Jeanette Coron

Some of these things sounded faintly familiar, but then again some of these quotes were things I had never heard before. I chose my favorite seven and put them down in my notes app, so I can look at them throughout the week and be reminded that I don’t have to worry anymore. I still don’t know the answers, but I believe everything will be alright, and so far it’s made a huge impact on my life and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

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About the Author

Bobby Pogue is a writer who describes theirself as a revisionist recluse and a dreamer in a daze. They recently picked up a love for writing, which led them to join the writers’ room at RFO Collective.

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Waking Up In the Morning, Thinking About How Grateful I Am to Still be Alive

I changed my morning routine and it changed my life.

A wise woman once told me that “everyday above ground is a blessing,” and I really felt that. You know, it’s not always easy trying to get through everyday life. Time moves way too fast, most people let you down, and I never seem to have enough money. Still, I must say I’m grateful.

I’m grateful that even though time moves way too fast, if I make up my mind, I can be present in each moment it brings. I’m grateful that even though most people have let me down or left me behind, there are a few who haven’t. Those people who stand by you through thick and thin are worth more than any number of people who choose to stand against you. I’m also grateful that even though I never seem to have enough money for all the things I want, I know that at the end of the day I will at least have access to the things I really need.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the things we dislike about our lives that we forget about all the goodness that surrounds us. I’m not writing this to say that you should just go about your day pretending bad things aren’t real, that they don’t happen or that they don’t have meaning. I’m simply saying that if we’re not careful we’ll begin to give them too much attention, significance and power in our lives.

Waking up in the morning, thinking about how I’m grateful to still be alive gives me the courage to face each day as a new beginning full of positive potential. I already know that there will be things I like and dislike about the day ahead, so it sort of gives me the heads up so I can game plan and be intentional with my time and my energy. 

Starting each day with gratitude has been wonderful, but it wasn’t always this way. I used to get up (super late) every morning with nothing but sadness in my heart, because I just felt like life was too hard to handle. It wasn’t until mid-2020, when Beyoncé released “MOOD 4 EVA” from The Lion King: The Gift [Deluxe Edition], proclaiming that “everyday above ground is a blessing,” that I was released from the shackles of this miserable routine.

I hope this story will inspire you to rethink the way you start your day, whatever time your day begins. Choose gratitude and see how the universe responds.

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About the Author

Emily Ginsenburg is a young author, obsessive journalist and meme enthusiast. Follow her on Instagram @emilyginsenburg.

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