"القلق لا يفرغ الغد من حزنه بل يفرغ اليوم من قوته"

Worrying is like a thief. It sneaks into your mind and drains your energy, leaving you exhausted and unable to deal with the present moment. When you’re caught up in anxiety about what might happen tomorrow, you’re not just robbing yourself of peace today—you’re also weakening your ability to handle today’s challenges.

This idea isn't new. It’s been echoed in various forms throughout history. People have always grappled with anxiety about the future. Take the context of World War II when Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who helped many Jews escape the Nazis, famously said this. She faced immense uncertainty and danger daily, yet she understood that worrying about what might happen next was a surefire way to lose her strength and resolve in the moment.

Imagine you’re preparing for a big presentation at work. You've spent weeks putting it together, and as the day approaches, you start to worry. What if you forget your lines? What if the technology fails? What if your boss hates it? This spiraling anxiety doesn’t help you prepare better. Instead, it distracts you, making you less focused and more likely to make mistakes. By the time you get to the presentation, you’re a bundle of nerves, which could have been avoided had you focused on what you could control.

So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? One practical approach is mindfulness. When you catch yourself worrying about the future, take a moment to ground yourself in the present. Focus on your breathing, notice the sensations around you, and remind yourself of what you can do right now. Another strategy is to break tasks into smaller, manageable steps. This way, you can focus on what you need to do today, rather than getting overwhelmed by the big picture.

Let me tell you a story to illustrate this. Picture a student named Jake. He’s in his final year of college, and finals are coming up. Jake’s worried about graduating—what if he doesn’t pass his exams? What if he can’t find a job afterward? These thoughts swirl in his mind, making him anxious and distracted. Instead of studying, he spends hours imagining worst-case scenarios. As a result, his grades suffer because he’s not concentrating on his studies.

But what if Jake changed his approach? Imagine if, every time he started to worry about the future, he took a deep breath and focused on what he could do right now—study for an hour, take good notes, review his flashcards. By channeling his energy into the present, Jake not only improves his grades but also feels more in control and less anxious.

Here’s the takeaway: next time you find yourself caught in a loop of worry, pause and ask yourself, "What can I do today to make tomorrow better?" Focus on that, and you’ll find that not only do you get more done, but you also feel a lot more at peace. Worrying about the future only diminishes your strength and ability to face today’s challenges. So, stay present, focus on what you can control, and let tomorrow take care of itself.