What I tell people trapped in worry
How to break the cycle of worry — see you on Instagram Live at 7pm PT.
Dear Friends,
Every hour you spend worrying is an hour you never get back — and the return on investment is always zero.
I’ve watched worry masquerade as problem-solving for decades. It feels productive, but in reality, it’s the mind’s way of keeping you in its grip. The mind whispers:
“If you don’t think about this over and over, something bad will happen.”
And so we replay scenarios, run through “what ifs,” and try to think our way into safety.
But safety doesn’t live in the future — it lives in the present.
The truth is, worry is not valuable. Planning is valuable. Taking action is valuable. But sitting in mental quicksand, imagining worst-case scenarios, is a waste of your most precious resource: your time.
My advice:
When I see people trapped in worry, I remind them that the mind is a tool, not a master. You can pick it up to plan your day, solve a problem, or create something beautiful.
But you can also set it down.
When I catch myself thinking about the past or drifting into worry, I change the channel immediately. Not by fighting the thoughts, but by redirecting my attention to the present moment.
I might focus on my breathing, notice my surroundings, or feel my feet on the ground. The key is awareness — becoming a witness to your own thoughts and gently but firmly guiding your mind back to now.
Why does this work? Because you cannot change what happened yesterday, but you can change how you feel today. Every moment spent rehashing yesterday or fearing tomorrow is a moment stolen from today’s possibilities.
Your assignment:
This week, notice when your mind starts creating worry scenarios about the future. The moment you catch it, say to yourself, "That's worry thinking," and bring your attention to something right in front of you—your breath, your feet on the ground, the sound of a bird outside. Do this every time you notice. It only takes a few seconds, and you'll be training your mind to stay where life actually happens—in the present.
If you want to learn the specific techniques I use to communicate positivity to my physiology, I detail them step-by-step in my new book Master Your Mind.
Golden light,
Dr. Richard Louis Miller
Join Me Live Today
Tonight I'm going live on Instagram at 7pm Pacific to answer questions about mind control, anxiety, relationships, and life's biggest challenges. Last week, we covered everything from overthinking to intimate communication in our last session.
If you have a question about stopping worry or anything else, join me live and drop it in the comments during tonight's session. Below you'll find highlights from my recent live session for premium subscribers.
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Master Your Mind - #1 New Release
My new book debuted as the #1 new release in the meditation category. However, my method is different from the popular forms of mindfulness today that require lengthy meditation sessions. Instead, I teach you to master your state of mind in 60-90 second intervals throughout your day.
The paperback is still available for a discounted launch price of $14.95.
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5 Questions with Dr. Miller
From my recent Instagram Live session with followers from around the world…
These are the 5 questions we dealt with.
"I’m consumed with panic and anxiety. What should I do?"
"I have repetitive negative thoughts. How can I stop them?
"Eight weeks out of a bad breakup, will counting help me get out of it?"
"Sometimes I wake up with anxiety. What should I do?"
"What if I’m depressed and have isolated myself from family and friends?"
Subscribe to access the full transcripts from my weekly livestreams:
1. "I’m consumed with panic and anxiety. What should I do?"
The antidote is conscious breathing.
There’s the breathing you do without thinking — shallow, automatic — and then there’s conscious breathing, where you intentionally guide your breath and focus on your abdomen.
When we get anxious, our bodies tighten, cutting off oxygen — our fuel supply. This sends an alarm to the brain: “Not enough fuel!” That alarm creates more anxiety. By breathing slowly and deeply from the abdomen, you restore the fuel supply and tell your nervous system, “We’re safe.”
I recommend practicing for 60–90 seconds, 10 times a day. That’s just 10 minutes total. At the end of a month, you’ve practiced 300 times. That repetition literally creates new neural pathways, training your body to respond with calm instead of panic.
2. "I have repetitive negative thoughts. How can I stop them?"
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