How Important Is It? (The Worry Barometer)

Life throws all sorts of curveballs our way, and let’s face it—worry is an uninvited guest to the party of life. If we had a Worry Barometer, I reckon it’d have three trusty settings:

Mildly Annoying: That little mosquito of a thought buzzing around occasionally.
Moderately Alarming: The worry playlist on repeat throughout the day.
Utter Panic Mode: Your brain’s a runaway rollercoaster, the brakes are gone, and sleep is just a distant memory. Even sheep are saying, “Nah, mate, you’re on your own.”

But how important are these worries? In three months time will you even remember it?

The “Is This Life-Changing?” Test

Let’s get real for a second. If the worry isn’t life-changing—or potentially life-changing (and I mean really potentially, not “why didn’t my boss laugh at my joke”)—then maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t deserve to move beyond Setting One.

Now, when I say life-changing, I mean the big stuff:

Health: A serious diagnosis for you or someone you love. Scary? Yes. Worry-worthy? Totally.
Happiness: Something that fundamentally shakes your world, like losing someone close. That’s fair game for Setting Two or Three—I’m not a monster.

For the real life-changing worries then you need to speak to your GP. Having a professional help you through life-changing events, that are going to be of detriment to your life, is very important.

But let’s talk about happiness for a moment. Sometimes, we inflate things. For example:

Arguing with a friend? Annoying, yes, but if it’s your 57th argument this month and history says you’ll be sharing memes by Friday, it’s a Setting One.
Breakups? Tough, yes, but if the relationship was limping along anyway, clinging on might be doing no one any favours. Life-changing? Maybe. Life-detrimental? Not necessarily.

The Small Stuff (AKA “Most of It”)

Here’s the truth: we spend way too much time worrying about the small stuff.

Why did my kid swear at his friend? Does that make me a bad parent?
Should I buy Jonny that bike he doesn’t need?
Does my best friend really want to go on holiday with me, or are they just being polite?
Do I make my parents proud?
Will I get that pay rise?

Here’s the thing: none of these are life-changing. And if you won’t remember them in three months, they have no business climbing above Setting One.

Getting the Setting Right

The bottom line is this: Worries need boundaries. Stop letting the tiny stuff masquerade as a catastrophe. If it’s not health, happiness, or something truly earth-shattering, keep it at Setting One and save your energy for what actually matters.

And if all else fails I find chocolate is good company; and for Setting One can actually be a cure.