Worry is a familiar, yet toxic companion. It slips into our minds in moments of uncertainty, planting seeds of anxiety and fear. But let’s get one thing straight—worry is not the same as concern. Concern is action-oriented; it compels you to problem-solve, to take concrete steps. Worry, on the other hand, is a wheel that keeps spinning but never gets anywhere. It makes us feel like we’re doing something—preparing, considering, protecting ourselves—but in truth, it often leads to inaction, to paralysis.  The Twelve Steps are about relinquishing that illusion of control and finding serenity, one day at a time

The Big Book teaches us about letting go, about turning our will and our lives over to God. But worry challenges that surrender. At its core, worry is an attempt to regain some sense of control over the uncontrollable. It’s a form of arrogance, really—a refusal to admit that we don’t have power over everything. Or as I pointed out at an earlier time, “When we insist on trying to control what we cannot, it is as if we are saying, ‘I know better than God.’”

Psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Frankl, in his groundbreaking book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” wrote about how worry and fear can become obstacles to finding meaning in life. Frankl, who survived Nazi concentration camps, observed that those who were able to find spiritual meaning—even in suffering—were able to rise above anxiety and despair. This perspective is like AA’s concept of spiritual surrender.

It’s important to remember that worry is future-oriented. It’s rarely about what’s happening in the present moment. We worry about what could happen, what might go wrong, or how we might handle situations that haven’t even arisen. But as the saying goes, “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

Practical Tools to Combat Worry

1. Gratitude in the Present: When your mind starts racing with future anxieties, ground yourself in the present by naming three things you’re grateful for today. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to worry because it brings you back to what is, rather than what might be.  Practicing gratitude is like shining a light on the present moment. It chases away the shadows cast by future fears.
2. Letting Go Through Prayer or Meditation: A practice of surrender through prayer or meditation can be a helpful way to release those worries. The Serenity Prayer helps center us, reminding us to accept what we cannot change, to have the courage to act where we can, and to trust God with the rest.
3. Actionable Next Steps: If worry is nagging at you about something specific, ask yourself if there’s an actionable step you can take. If there is, do it. If there isn’t, then let it go—acknowledge that this situation is not something you can control

Worry will never eliminate the things you fear; it will only eliminate your peace of mind. Instead of letting worry take the wheel, strive for acceptance, for letting go, and for faith that things will unfold as they are meant to. Serenity doesn’t come from having all the answers; it comes from trusting that we will be okay regardless.