Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25 Our anxiety includes specific thoughts. These are thoughts that seem entirely reasonable and sensible to us. Mature even. We feel like responsible adults because we are not just mindlessly hoping for the best, but we are considering the down-side. There are all sorts of ways we rationalize worry, but most of the time we simply don’t categorize our thoughts as worry because our worry feels like common sense. However there is one tell tale sign that we are not doing ourselves any favours – the outcome of all this “sensible worry” is that we feel low. Anxiety weighs down the heart. When we choose to worry we are creating a worse future for ourselves. Our choices have consequences, and the more we allow anxiety a foothold, we are almost bringing upon ourselves the negatives we fear. At some point, we have to face a hard, cold-blooded decision. We have to say to ourselves, “I’m going to do what’s right even when it feels wrong”. And the right thing is to not worry, and deliberately dwell on positive thoughts. Can you think of a kind word a friend or a family member has said to you? Has anyone encouraged you, complimented you? Is anyone pleased when you text or call? Think of a kind word that your mother or father has said to you. Think on that, and take every anxious thought captive.