Unnecessary Worry
Circle of Control
How to use the ciricle of control model when you are stuck with unnecessary worry.
Have you ever been in a situation when you have let worry and anxiety get the better of you? I know I have. When in this mindset it is common to fall into a spiral of unnecessary worry which in turn causes ongoing and unneeded distress. Often this worry is about things we have absolutely no way of changing or influencing; I’ll give more examples on this later.
The circle of control is a simple and effective mindset shifter. This model and tool identifies what we have control or influence over and lets us challenge the perpetual cycle of worrying. This tool is used to challenge thinking, reframe and bring yourself back to a solution focused mindset. We use this tool by asking ourselves “is this in my circle of control” - meaning do I have direct influence to change this and my current situation. This is tool is also good for challenging anxious thoughts or ruminations that are keep us from staying in the present moment.
See below an example Circle of Control and see how all the points are directly in your influence.
Circle of Control - e.g. asking yourself “what is in my control right now”?
Things that are out of your control:
Below are some examples of common things people worry about that are out of your control.
what other people do
what people think of you
things from your past
what other people say
other people’s choices
how people feel
the weather
people’s opinions or feelings for you
How does this work in practice?
Focusing on what you can control helps anxiety in a solution focused way.
Use the Circle of Control to reframe thoughts and challenge your thinking away from the things outside of the circle (see above).
Focusing on what’s in the circle means you are thinking about the things you can action; therefore putting our energy into change and away from perpetuating unneeded distress.
Focusing your energy on what is in your control to improve your mindset and reduce worry can help boost your mood, keep you in the present moment and reduce the feeling of internal chaos.
Using the Circle of Control can improve productivity and keep you focused.
Switch your mindset with a daily mantra; “I will focus on what I can control”.
This is a simple and effective mindset shift but is just a start. If you find you are always worrying and your anxiety unmanageable please seek the help and guidance of a skilled therapist.
To work with me use the bookings tab above and access the client portal.
- Maddison