Remember the freckled-face kid, Alfred E. Newman, on the Mad magazine with his infamous saying, "What, Me worry?" Yep, that's where we're heading with this unit. Worrying is the robber of energy, deceiver of the truth, causer of many a conflict, and catcher in the rye. I worry about things that most people would never think of. Do I have enough dental floss, what happens when Mount Vesuvius erupts again, can toe-nail fungus really be cured with orally administered shots of vinegar, and is a colonoscopy really necessary - just to mention a few.

Along with making mistakes, worrying is one of the very basic elements of our human fiber. It's part of the DNA chain - right next to scurvy.

Soooooo, if you want to avoid worry, Carpe Diem - seize the day!

• carpe diem........ sieze the day
• carpe deum........ god is a fish
• carpe carpe....... sieze the fish
• crape diem........ bad day
• carpe per diem.... sieze the check
• carpe canem....... sieze the dog
• carpe devo........ sieze the record

If you learned anything at all from the previous unit, you know making a mistake is a part of the learning experience only if you remember what's happened to you in the past - I repeat, "Pesticides can harm you!" You also need to consider the future to make the decisions of today - I repeat, "Thoroughly clean all fresh fruits before eating them!" To live a Carpe Diem life one shouldn't dwell on the past or worry about the future. So, Carpe Diem, even if you're going to a potluck dinner where they, by chance, are serving lutefisk.

Ever notice how people with clean underwear seem to be more adept at knowing what's going on - a real keen awareness of things? Well, you can too - no - not the clean underwear but have a keen thingy. Part of that is being able to analyze those items that are of concern to you.

It has become increasingly important for you to separate the things you can control from those that are beyond your control. In the news the other day there was an article about - well, pretty much just a bunch of bad stuff. None of which I have any control over - nor will I ever.

Consider the large grill at your local diner. You need to take that spatula and scrape off all the charred, greasy pieces of somebody else's meal and get them out of your way. Your primary focus is that grilled ham and cheese sandwich you're cooking. You carefully watch it - flipping it occasionally so that it's cooked just the way you like it. So the first move you need to make is to scrape off those things that you have no control over and get focused on the things you can change.

1. Get the facts. Know your options.
2. Carefully weigh all the facts then come to a decision.
3. Once a decision is carefully reached, ACT! Get busy carrying out your decision-dismissing all anxiety about the outcome.

• What is the problem?
• What is the cause of the problem?
• What are all possible solutions?
• What is the worst that can possibly happen if I can't solve my problem?
• What is the best solution?

Either way, you need to be systematic about how you approach the situation and try to minimize any emotional distortions. Remember that emotions cause chemical imbalances in the brain - leading to coughing spells and those little "skin tags" which look like miniature mushrooms growing all over your body.

Asking yourself questions about what's coming up forces you to slow down an rationally deal with it. If you anticipate a negative outcome:

• Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst--if necessary.
• Then calmly try to improve upon the worst.
• Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health.

Getting into the habit of analyzing what's facing you in a logical way can cut down wasted time spent on worrying. I've only provided some examples and you'll want to come up with some of your own. Put them into statements that you can review on a daily basis like the following ones I use:

• Have I worried about this problem long enough to drive me crazy?
• Will I ever get caught and imprisoned?
• Do I have a full take of gas?
• How do I enter a plea of insanity?
• Is this something an American President has done in the past?
• Will my bladder explode?
• Is the mayonnaise in my sandwich suppose to be this yellow?

• Keep busy - At times when you find yourself falling into the worry trap - start doing something - especially something you like. Make a list of simple pleasures you have and use it.
• Don't fret the small stuff - Get a look at the big picture and don't allow little things to ruin your happiness. Most miniscule problems we worry about mean nothing in a weeks time.
• Consider the chances of your worries happening- Most of the time we worry about things that never happen.
• Adapt with the inevitable - If something is going to happen that's beyond your control, accept it, move on, and try to make the best of it.
• Leave the past in the past - Don't re-freeze spilled ice cream. All the good, chunky stuff settles to the bottom of the carton and it's never the same.
• Monitor your thoughts - increase your awareness - Dwelling on troubles only reinforces Klepto's ability to add comfort to your life.
• Don't look for revenge - Ok, only when you think it'll really settle the score, you'll get to see it first-hand, and the chances of retaliation are nil. You can actually waste a lot of time plotting how to get even - time that you lose but the person who caused you grief doesn't even know about.
• Don't live your life looking to be recognized - Leave that to the politicans, movie stars, and those loud-mouthed people at parties that you wish would move by Chernobyl and start gardening.
• Foster happiness by giving joy and helping others achieve - Check out my unit on "That little thing called Love".
• Demonstrate your gratitude to others
• When you can't fall asleep, count your blessings instead of sheep.
• Be yourself - Don't conform - don't try to live the life that someone else expects or that you've created with false certainties. Remember "envy is ignorance."
• Try to make the best out of bad situations - Stay positive.
• Laugh more and find the humor in misguided events - Why do you think they call it a "comedy of errors"?

Too many questions, too little time. This unit sure pushed the need for increasing worry awareness with questions and mental monitoring. But spending a little more effort thinking through things can really stop that worry habit.