How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

I'm a worrywart. I don't just worry about ordinary things like finances, health, global warming, and the possibility that a meteor is going to hit West Marin where I live.

I also worry about things that can't possibly happen. For example, when I was a kid one day my mom noticed a light red line running down my leg under the skin. Being color blind, I hadn't even seen in. My mom took me immediately to the doctor who diagnosed the problem as a serious infection. Had we delayed coming to him, I might not be talking to you right now.

I got an antibiotic and that was that. But sometimes I catch myself worrying: "What if my mom hadn't noticed that red thing?"

My wife calls this retroactive worrying, and I worry that it's not a good thing. I know that too much worrying can be harmful to one's health.

Now what's this have to do with Sports Addiction? Everything. When I was watching sports--especially watching a team that I rooted for--I'd worry throughout the game. If it was baseball, I'd worry about whether our clean-up hitter would clean up. I'd worry about whether our closer could close. I'd worry about everything.

I mention this because today, having got maybe halfway through the baseball season without watching an inning, I find myself being less worried. I still worry about my finances and health, of course. But not about players and games that have nothing to do with my life.