You can stop worrying now
Stress. It’s a curious creature, a stubborn shadow that refuses to recede, even when the spotlight of our attention has moved on. Today, I am mulling over this peculiar persistence of stress, specifically in the context of shared tasks and responsibilities.
Consider this scenario: You have a problem at hand, a task that involves multiple participants. You’ve done your part, exerted your efforts, and now the ball is in the other’s court. Logically, one would assume the weight of worry would ease, the burden of stress would lift. Yet, it often doesn’t. The worry lingers, the stress remains, a gnawing concern that dances on the periphery of your thoughts.
Why is it that we continue to worry even after doing all within our circle of influence? Why does the stress stick around like an unwelcome guest long after its reason for arrival has been addressed?
One angle to consider is trust. Trust in the ability and reliability of those who now hold the reins of resolution. It’s a delicate dance, this handing over of control. A balancing act between the need to resolve the problem and the necessity of delegation. Do we subconsciously fear that they may drop the ball, that our carefully coordinated efforts might be jeopardized?
Then there’s the matter of control. For many of us, control provides a sense of security, a reassurance of predictability in the face of chaos. But when we pass the baton, when the task is out of our hands, we surrender this control. Is it this loss, this feeling of helplessness, that feeds the residual stress?
Once set in motion, a problem, much like a ball, follows a path dictated by forces beyond our immediate control. This uncertainty, the knowledge that we no longer possess the power to steer the outcome, can be a potent source of lingering stress.
As I grapple with these thoughts, I realize the importance of acknowledging this tendency to hold on to stress, even when it’s served its purpose. It’s a reflection of our deep-seated desire for control, for predictability, for ensuring a favourable outcome.
Maybe the challenge then, is not only to start the ball rolling, but to learn to let go once it’s set in motion. To trust the process, to trust the other players, and most importantly, to trust in our ability to handle whatever the outcome may be. Because in the end, while we can’t always control the path, we can control how we respond to the journey.
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