Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

Ten Things Not To Waste Time Worrying About

Unfortunately, worrying comes easily to me. I worry about catastrophes in my absence (because if I’m there, either I’ll be able to stop them with my yet undiscovered superpowers…or think, “at least we’ll all die together.”). When Tucker was young, the first time I traveled without him, I worried the tree in front of our house would fall on him and Robert.

Nothing was wrong with the tree.

I create silly, ridiculous worries. While I *know* that worrying is a pointless waste of time, it’s hard to not go there. So I’ve created a list of things that are a waste of time to worry about.

Maybe you worry about ridiculous things and this list will help both of us. Or, maybe we’ll both wake up at 3:00 a.m. and worry about our kids, our jobs, sinkholes, falling trees, and our futures. It’s worth a try…

Ten Things Not To Waste Time Worrying About

Ten Things Not To Waste Time Worrying About Because They’re Ridiculous and You Can’t Change Them Anyway

10. Sinkholes. My friend recently posted a for-real sinkhole photo on Facebook where you could see a car in it! It happened about five miles from where she lives (the driver got out in time) and her photo proved to all of us that these things happen, for real.

I mean, I wrote about this years ago. Basically, you could be walking out of a store and BOOM!

You’re inside the ground instead of walking on it.

Yikes, right? But it’s dumb to worry about sinkholes because it’s not like worrying will help you avoid them. I mean a sinkhole could open up right under the kitchen table where you’re sitting typing right now. Worrying won’t change that.

9. Aging. I’m always a little shocked by accidental glimpses in shop windows. In addition to seeing I need to stand up straighter, there are wrinkles in new places all over my face!

Also I’m pretty sure my eyes have gotten smaller. Not sure how that happened, but I blame aging.
But worrying about getting old is ridiculous because you can’t change it and as they say, getting old is better than the alternative!

8. Politics. Yes, we should do something about the disgusting state of the world today. We should march, and help those less fortunate, make phone calls and do all of the things. But simply worrying about the buffoon in office? His horrid minions? Not worth the toll on our souls or the extra lines on our faces (those already cause us too much worry – see number 9 above).

7. The future. This is a hard one, I know! But worrying about the future is ridiculous and while you totally should save money for being old and always do right by your kid so he’ll want to visit you, simply worrying over the future is pointless.

6. Lice on toilet paper. I used to worry about this one until Tucker got lice at school. They die on paper. YAY!!! And, you’re welcome (free PSA). 
5.
Having fancy stuff. Don’t worry about the name on the tag. Do you, be you. Now that I’m older and wiser, I wish I had the money I spent on things I no longer care about like ridiculously expensive sunglasses. I mean, I still like good sunglasses (wrinkle avoidance and all).

So, treat yourself and all that but stuff is just stuff. Move across the country to see how much your stuff no longer has import. Also it helps to know what does matter to you (my bed matters to me), and what doesn’t (clothes I haven’t worn in years that I think “Somebody would really appreciate having this.”).

4. Health. Yes, of course eat right and exercise and wear sunscreen, but worrying about health outside of what you can control isn’t healthy and may even cause cancer. In fact, worrying about health and other ridiculous things probably causes cancer.

3. It’s impossible to not worry about your kids, but try to trust you’re doing your best. Also? It’s totally ok to groan on the inside when your nine-year-old son wants to try to hypnotize you because he knows how after watching a YouTube video.

Have fun with it and don’t worry about inward groaning. You’re no longer nine years old and it’s okay that what’s fun for you doesn’t always match what’s fun for him.

2. Don’t worry if you think your blog post list is dumb. It’s yours. Your words matter. Our stories matter.

1, finally. This is a Big and Serious one. Not that sinkholes aren’t serious, but this one is for real f’real.

Don’t worry about what other people think of you. Be you. Do you. Act on what drives you because what other people think of you doesn’t matter. I mean, you know, don’t murder or anything, but don’t chase hobbies for the sole reason being because you think mom or the neighbor will approve of them.

Imagine your best you, and be that person.

***

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. This week’s listicle prompt is “10 things I worry about…” Our sentence thinker-upper (and general thinker) is Lizzi Lewis of Considerings.  However she’s flaking, oops, I mean is SUPER busy with work and life (no judgement) so we’re using her prompt but aren’t sure whether she’ll join or whether you’ll be able to link up with her.

Link up with my co-host Kenya Johnson at Sporadically Yours or me, here at Finding Ninee.

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  • Kenya G. Johnson - Ok I seriously hope I don’t dream about sink holes tonight. I probably commented this before that I worry about them too. I worry that the potholes in the street are going to cave in. I love your post. I laughed out loud with the tree falling and the lice. I’ve never known anyone to worry about that. LOL! And the hypnotizing – I’m in between remembering that kind of stuff painfully and fondly at the same time. As for “stuff” I say that all the time, I wish I had the money that I spent on stuff that is totally useless to me now. Sigh.August 9, 2018 – 10:21 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Aw crap I hope you don’t dream of sinkholes either. SORRY!!! Thanks for the LOL to the tree falling – real worry but so dumb right?!?!?
      Never knew anybody to worry about the lice??? You’re welcome, I guess, because they can’t live like that TG!!!
      UGH to the stuff and learning about buying it now. I avoided buying Tucker a bow and arrow today so WIN???August 9, 2018 – 11:43 pmReplyCancel

  • JT Walters - Link dumping is something to worry about!!

    Worry is counter productive but I worry about my son.

    My new motto is, “Trust God!” I am trying to do that everyday. If I can change something I do. If I can’t I am reminded everyone and thing has a season.

    I wake up saying, “Trust God. I am not suppose to understand or be in control. Life is a test of faith.”

    Btw, discouraged by one of my prayer Sisters who went to Uganda and said she will never go back. Tux needs a sibling or dog. But you’re a good sport.😊August 9, 2018 – 10:22 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Oh I wish Tux had a sibling. We may get a dog… we’ve been thinking about it. And of course you worry about your son. How can you not? Here’s to trusting and letting go of things we can’t control. 🙂August 10, 2018 – 12:01 pmReplyCancel

  • Emily - Lice on toilet paper? Ha, I never even thought of that, but yes, good to know they die on paper. The other thing is they actually like clean hair, so the less your kids wash their hair, the better! Anyway, great list, especially the last one. 🙂August 9, 2018 – 10:34 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - That’s true about the clean hair! I was freaking out when Tucker got them but then he got them again a year later and I was like “I know what I’m doing now!” Thanks, Emily!August 10, 2018 – 1:07 pmReplyCancel

  • Flakey McFlakeface - Bwahahahah I love your little pixellated rude bits!!! XD

    Also I love your #1, and agree that the others are pointless to worry about. So is the thing I probaly did at a key moment several years ago and wish I had done differently. Worrying changes nothing but causes endless anguish. Time to learn to let it go xxAugust 10, 2018 – 11:58 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Why Flakey McFlakeface! Here’s to learning to let go. It can be hard though. What’s the thing from several years ago you wish you did differently? Now I’m all curious.August 10, 2018 – 1:21 pmReplyCancel

      • Flakey McFlakeface - Kissed too many wrong’uns. I can think of at least two. One I thought was right. One, I have NO IDEA WHY I DID IT and it was the stupidest thing. Upset the one person I most didn’t want to upset. Not that I’d obsess…August 11, 2018 – 12:07 pmReplyCancel

  • Pat B - As a kid, I’d never heard of sink holes, but those metals plates that open up to allow deliveries to be made to stores gave me great concern. I walked around them because I just knew they might open and swallow me whole if I walked on them. 🙂

    I blame the eyes looking smaller for the bags under my eyes looking larger!

    Honestly, I’d never even considered the possibility of lice on toilet paper. LOL
    I do consider the possibility of lice being on the head rests of theater seats and airplane seats, but I’m not paranoid about it.

    As for fancy new stuff, might as well forget it. The quality of a lot of the older things is much better and is often still available if you don’t mind that someone else might have used it before you.August 10, 2018 – 8:37 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - We recently visited a used furniture store and they had some of the coolest things. I have gotten a few new items but I have the dining table that was at my dad’s when I was a child and some of my grandmother’s furniture too. They just don’t make it like that any longer. Or, maybe some places do but sooo expensive. Those metal plates things are terrifying!!! I still walk around them. Same with the metal grates in the parking lots. Even if it doesn’t swallow me, I’m scared I’ll drop my keys down there.August 11, 2018 – 12:50 pmReplyCancel

  • Flakey McFlakeface - Kissed too many wrong’uns. I can think of at least two. One I thought was right. One, I have NO IDEA WHY I DID IT and it was the stupidest thing. Upset the one person I most didn’t want to upset. Not that I’d obsess…August 11, 2018 – 12:07 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi - One problem with worries is that even the ridiculous ones “could” happen. Trees do fall–I could tell you a story, but perhaps I shouldn’t–, sinkholes do happen. One could go crazy worrying about all the possible dangers in life.

    I love your advice in this post!August 12, 2018 – 9:07 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Thanks, Kristi! And it’s true. Sinkholes and trees falling happens. But, they could happen while sitting here at the table typing, too, so… yes! 🙂August 13, 2018 – 2:16 pmReplyCancel

  • Sarah Balding - I remember my sister getting lice as a child and the trauma that it was for me having to bag up all my worldly possessions until we could make sure they were lice-free and having to get my hair washed with nasty smelling shampoo and then my mom checking my hair for what seemed like forever. I did not contemplate the idea of lice being on toilet paper, which is probably a good thing and now you’ve saved me the trouble of having one less thing to worry about.

    Also, I did worry about my list being stupid, but I put it out there anyway and tried not to think about it too much. And then so many wonderful people were like, “ME TOO!” and it’s been awesome. Still working on #1 though – but I feel like I’m getting better at not caring so much what other people think. Most of the time I am the most judgmental person about myself.August 13, 2018 – 10:47 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Lice are traumatic for sure. Tucker got them (and then of course, me too) and I was a mess. Washing everything, doing the sticking things in bags, all of it… and then he got them again, and I managed to be calmer about it. I’d learned a lot about how they really can’t live once you comb them out and that the non-poison stuff works just fine if you do it every day for a couple weeks. Still, I hope we never get them again because EEEEWWW!!!
      I’m glad you got so many “ME TOO!” responses to your post. I think it’s true that we all worry about silly things outside of our control. And yeah, I’m still working on number 1… probably will always be.August 13, 2018 – 2:21 pmReplyCancel

  • My Inner Chick - Yes,
    Our stories matter!
    And I love reading your words, your insight, & perspective on life!
    You are so very “YOU!” xxxAugust 14, 2018 – 10:52 amReplyCancel

  • Kerry - I find it hard to picture sink holes when I have never seen one, but they do sound terrifying anyway.

    Those about the kids we love feel most serious. I have many.

    I fear so much that will never likely happen. I am going to miss out on so much while I’m off, somewhere, fearing so many of these things, in a corner somewhere. Kids have fears too, but they live life anyway.

    Worry is such a waste of time, but we all waste time sometimes. Finding the acceptable level of worry is the trick. I wish us both luck with that Kristi.

    People tell me all the time not to worry about what’s happening in the US and in the world. I know I should try harder. I still worry.August 19, 2018 – 9:55 pmReplyCancel

  • Christine Carter - YEP. To all of these worries! I am such a worrier too. And most are ridiculous things that I should NOT be worrying about. But the big ones that you mention are the most important of all. I wish I could master this worry thing, but I’m always a work in progress- even as I age, I struggle. Girl, me and you both. BUT it’s gotten a little bit better, right? 😉August 23, 2018 – 6:20 amReplyCancel

  • Allie - I miss 1982! I really do. (although, ahem, I was in middle school:)). I tell my kids all the time – I had it so much easier and they just don’t get it.Camden actually asked me what I could buy for $5 “back then.” And I said – the world! But really it was just a couple 45s, or a paperback, or chips, soda, candy and gum and you got change!

    ***This is my answer for your previous post, but it said that comments were closed. Sorry, just playing catch up!August 24, 2018 – 8:06 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Comments closed??? WEIRD. Way to rub in your youth! 😉 And it did feel like $5 lasted forever back then. You could go to a concert for like $14! I miss that. I miss the 80’s and 90’s a LOT. Weird, but I do.August 24, 2018 – 2:16 pmReplyCancel

  • Allie - Lice on Toilet paper???? Really? Where do you come up with this stuff? Silly girl.

    love you!August 24, 2018 – 8:09 amReplyCancel

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