THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!
Thank you, everyone, for opening your hearts and sharing a piece of yourself and your journey. I am amazed and inspired by all of you, and so grateful that you shared your strength and your stories here.
I wish you all peace, joy, and so much love!
The winners are:
Please send your address to email@tinybuddha.com so I can send you a copy of the Worry Journal!
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Though life has become a lot less busy for many these days, I suspect a lot of us have incredibly busy minds given all the uncertainty we’re facing.
It’s easy to get caught up in worst-case and what-if scenarios, trying to create some sense of control in a world where we have very little.
I know, because I’ve done this many times. I’ve locked myself in a corner in my mind, filled my internal whiteboard with every possible combination of outcomes, and obsessed over how I could avoid potential pain—ironically, causing myself immense pain in the process.
To some extent advance planning can be helpful. It gives us a chance to prepare for the worst and ascertain how we can do our best to get through it. But beyond a certain point it becomes maddening.
It’s natural to have worrisome thoughts—they arise without our conscious choice. But we can consciously choose how we engage with them instead of spinning them into a tornado of anxiety that will surely destroy our peace, and possibly our health.
This is why I created Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal a couple years back: to help us all work through the fearful thoughts that would otherwise consume and control us.
With writing prompts, quotes, questions for contemplation, and coloring and doodle pages, the Worry Journal can help you feel calmer, less anxious, and more present in your life.
It’s a tool to help you reflect and then release, while broadening your perspective and helping you develop trust in your own ability to handle whatever’s coming.
I think we all need that right now—a reminder that we’re stronger than we think and more resourceful than we realize. And that is why I’m giving away three free copies of Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal.
The Giveaway
There are two things you need to do enter the giveaway:
1. Subscribe to Tiny Buddha if you’re not already a subscriber. (You’ll receive instant access to Tiny Buddha’s 30-Day Health Challenge and three cool desktop wallpapers!) You can join the list here.
2. Leave a comment below completing one (or more!) of these prompts from Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal:
- Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including…
- I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know…
- Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including…
- I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including…
Your comment can be as short or long as you’d like, and you can enter until midnight PST on Sunday, May 31st. I will list the winners at the top of this post some time on Monday, June 1st.
Please note you’ll need to check back then to see if you’ve won so you can email me your address.
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including fully accepting that I cannot always complete everything I’ve planned to complete for each day. Overwhelmed is a choice that I too often make and accept for myself. Not Today though!!
Today, I will let go of things I can’t control, like other people’s temperament. If they chose to see life in negative ways so be it. It is up to me to find my own joy and not be pulled down by negative energy.
Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including taking time this morning to pray, read, and breathe.
Dear inner critic,
You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including focusing on my yoga practice, observing my feelings and understanding why I feel the way that I do, nourishing my body with whole fruits and vegetables, smiling through the pain, and walking through this life with love ✨
I know I am strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including years of debilitating depression.
Today, I will let go of things I can’t control, like other people’s work ethic. If they can’t show up for work on time (or at all), it’s on them, not me.
Today, I choose to Let Go of things I can’t control, including everything beyond my own breath and my own response~ 🙏🤗🦋💫
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including raising three beautiful humans who are successful, maintained a marriage of 44 years even with two separations, lost a baby girl in my 5th month of pregnancy, lost both parents. But all of this is part of this big thing we call LIFE. And even if I don’t continue to survive in the near future due to covid-19 or other illness or accident, I accept the beauty of all that I’ve been given to experience in this journey and will choose to be grateful for all of it letting go of resentments and regrets. Survival is merely living today in this moment.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including Trigeminal Neuralgia on a daily basis. I’ve got to push through the pain and stay as focused as I can. I know that this disease can beat me down so I enjoy every minute of good days and I look forward to the times when I can be with those I love. I long to enjoy the energy of their love and know that right now I must practice patience.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including 2 rapes and 3 suicide attempts.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control including the pressures and judgements from others to live my life according to their standards
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including how people respond or react to my personal needs to support serenity and peace. I will do the very best version of me in all aspects, being kind and considerate – how they respond is their business.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including the loss of my best friend.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know everything that is asked of me at work.
Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including completely new work subjects out with my comfort zone.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including the recent suicide attempt of my partner.
Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including exercise and eating well most of the time. I’ve also switched to a full plant based diet 6 weeks ago and put a lot of research into learning new recipes and also about nutrient deficiency in order to get this challenge right.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know where the day will take me, how I am going to respond. I will meet each joy and obstacle as they come and respond in whatever way my heart and mind are telling me to. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I am ready to begin – it’s a fresh new page in my story…I’m excited to see how I will write it!
First, thank for Tiny Buddha. This place has become a vital tool for my day to day life, as well as a life-ring as a navigate my new life, post-divorce. I even have a ting green Buddha on my car’s dash board to remind me of all the lessons this place has given me.
Secondly, I am posting to be entered into the contest.
I recognize that I do not have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission to now know what life has planned for me. I do not need to know what every second of the future holds for me. It is okay to be lost in life, because one of life’s greatest adventures is to find your calling, where you belong. If i were to just somehow know what the future holds for me in my career, personal, and love life then I am cheating myself out of the adventure, lessons, mistakes, and excitement of finding where I belong. So, today I am okay with not know, and am even grateful that I am completely unaware of what my future holds!
Rebecca Lynn,
Today I will let go of things I cannot change, like the weather, other people’s actions, the number of people in line at the grocery store.
I will also have the courage to change the things I can, like the way I treat myself and others, and my attitude. I hope for the wisdom to know the difference in each situation.
know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including the death of my mom bother and dad and abandonment of my older brother. When dad died i had little support and was forced to be an adult and learn new things mainly on my own. I am a very strong person. It gets me down having to be strong all the time but i can do it. I survived and will keep surviving 💖💖
Today, I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me with my MS because I’ve already survived a lot including, my 1st husband running off with the next door neighbor, my home being foreclosed on, and my car repossessed. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including starting a new life since my Mum’s death.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including how my adult child and his family will fare during this pandemic.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know whether I should continue moving forward with my relationship.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know…I am awaiting to hear from my employer whether or not I will be returning to work after being furloughed for two months due to the pandemic. Today, I give myself permission to realize I will know what is going on soon enough, and in the mean time I need to keep up with my mental health and physical health. To everyone going through uncertainty right now (and I know it’s alot of you) you are all great and everything will come together, let’s all be strong for each other, love to you all and thank you for this website!
Today, I chose to let go of things that I can’t control including my anxiety about my unknown future with a brain injury
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including losing my Mom, Dad, brother, and sister.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know ANYTHING- to not know whether my relationship will last, to not know if my relationship with my parents will get better, to not know if the obsessive overthinking will ever stop, to not know if the pain will ever end, to not know what happens when I die, to not know the thought that pass through the minds of those I love (or the ones I don’t), to not know if taking a break from a school is a bad decision (despite needing the break so badly), to not know if I will ever get peace of mind, to not know if I will one day feel that freedom I have always craved, to not know what comes next, to not know if i’m doing this “love” thing right, to not know if I will ever heal this trauma, to not know if I will ever stop dissociating, to not know if I’m actually bisexual or gay or straight, to not know a single thing because none of us really do. I give myself permission to not relentlessly obsess about it all anymore.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know…All that the Universe has planned for my life. I recognize that whether the plan is for a peace and balance in my life or the plan contains chaos and struggles, I will always have the opportunity to learn and grow. I chose to embrace whatever the Universe puts in my path.
I know I am strong enough to handle that comes to me because I have handled cancer and survived.
Today I am going to focus on the good I do for myself, instead of listing what I should be doing.
Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including working on my anxiety so when this pandemic is over I can go back and work in the field I am passionate about , mental health .
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including the death of my first born child. He was 20 and the absolute sun in my universe.
I accept things I cannot change ..Ally Ladak
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including making my mom happy at my expense. I worry about her because she doesn’t seem to want the responsibilty of being an adult. But I’m emotionally exhausted and don’t have the answers she needs. Now that she’s older and needs me even more, I am burnt out and don’t know how to proceed.
Today I choose to let go of things outside of my control, including the feeling of not being good enough.
Today I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including not having a full time job at the moment. I have faith that the right one will come when the time is right.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know what my future holds. I will take peace in knowing I made a decision for myself, which is a rarity, and that I give myself permission to not know how that will affect my relationship. I will just know it was for me. For once. And that is okay.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including attempts to convince my family to refrain from certain activities I view as unnecessary risk
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including my inner critic they are always trying to sabotage my day, week, month, and year. Sometimes I give in but more often then not. I push you out of my mind and proceed to do my daily living.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including – whether I will get a new case for my freelance business.
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know how the tings I am learning will fall into me becoming my best version of myself
I recognize that I don’t need to have all the answers right now. Today, I give myself permission not to know what might happen this year, or even in the next five years. While a certain amount of planning can be a helpful guide, I need to let go of my attachments to have life go “as planned.” I will allow myself to leave some wiggle room for changes and the unexpected. If I have learned anything in the last several months in the wake of this global pandemic, it is that nothing is promised. I will do my best at work, with family, and within myself to take one step at a time.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including leaving an abusive marriage and starting all over again by moving to another country and starting a small business at age 45 with 3 kids in tow! My company is still going strong too!
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including currently going through a divorce after 20 years. My mind is all over the place.
I know I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes at me, because I’ve survived a lot, including… While I was planning my wedding my ex fiance. he got someone else pregnant and marry her instead. As consequence I became a single mother who years latter found out my precious child has autism. Today he is proud trans teenager who went into 9th grade with college level classes. I have advocated and work thru multiple emotions to provide for my beloved child. I am stronger because I have survived a lot. I am grateful that out of a lot of negative situation I have become stronger. The endless nights I have gone to sleep exhausted and with tears on my eyes are a lot less than the moments I have been blessed.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including worrying about clients leaving and when the lockdown will be over. I’d love to win a copy of this incredible book. Thanks, Lori!
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including- many things I am unable to control such as many things that occur at work that are out of my control And stop feeling guilty for not being able to change other thought process.
Today, I choose to let go of things I can’t control, including the current pandemic and how people I love react to it. I can only do what I feel is right. I need to protect myself. I will be strong and commit my energy to what I can do to make my life happier and healthier. I cannot change other people, only myself. And so it is.
Dear inner critic: You always focus on everything I’m doing wrong, but I know I’m doing a lot right, including starting DBT.
Today I chose to allow family drama to unfold as it may and stay out of it.