(Approx 2 minute read)

We are all driven by a complex mix of instincts and fears. Among these, the instinct for survival is perhaps the most powerful – it’s why many of us practice karate, right?
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In moments of extreme stress, when we sense that our life is at risk, our minds naturally react with a surge of fear. It’s an inherent response, deeply ingrained.
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However, in today’s world, most of us are no longer fighting for our lives on a daily basis. That primal fear has morphed into something else – worry and anxiety. In our modern lives, it seems there’s always something to worry about.
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Many of us hone our skills for pragmatic purposes – self-defense, self-discipline, mental fortitude. But in today’s society, the daily threats we face are more psychological than physical. Yet while the threats may have changed, the mind’s reaction to them has not.
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As we grow older and reflect on our lives, many of us will likely think, “I wish I’d worried less.” I know I do – I think I was born a worrier. And in hindsight, I’ve recognized that worry often isn’t worth the toll it takes on us.
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Just as we practice karate to prepare for physical encounters, we must also train our minds to deal with the intangible battles we face – worry, fear, uncertainty, and more.
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When the future is uncertain, we naturally want to ensure that things turn out well. But even after we’ve done all we can to prevent a bad outcome, we can’t completely eliminate the possibility that something might still go wrong.
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This uncertainty can be difficult to live with, leading us to revisit the situation in our minds, turning it over and over, imagining every possible “what if” and how we might handle it, reinforcing our worry.
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Each time we worry and nothing bad happens, perhaps our minds subtly link worry with safety: “Worrying must have prevented harm.” Without even realizing it, we start to believe, “It’s a good thing I worried,” and so the cycle continues, feeding itself.
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But worry is contagious; it spreads like a shadow, casting gloom wherever it goes, draining the joy from today. It saps our strength and steals our peace, and it does the same to those around us. When we carry tomorrow’s troubles into today, it wears us down.
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Worry is meant to protect us from fear, yet it often traps us in a loop of dwelling on things that might never happen.
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We should all learn to live in the moment. This is the essence of Mushin (無心), “no mind” or “empty mind”, which is just as vital in dealing with the mental battles we face as it is in a physical one.
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So, remember, there are two days you should never worry about: yesterday and tomorrow. You can’t live in the past. You can’t live in the future. You can only live for today. Let’s make today count.
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Written by AC.
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Photo Credit: image of Nishiyama Hidetaka