This edition published in 2011 by Arcturus Publishing Limited
26/27 Bickels Yard, 151153 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3HA
Copyright 2011 Allen Carrs Easyway (International) Limited
Design copyright 2011 Arcturus Publishing Limited
Originally published in 2003 as Allen Carrs Easy Way to Stop Worrying
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person or persons who do any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
PREFACE
When burdened with worry and life goes wrong, just buckle your armour and trudge along!
From my earliest memories, this slogan, framed and handwritten in beautiful script, occupied the prime position above our fireplace. It was the quintessence of my mothers attitude to life: that the time spent on this earth is a penance.
And for her, it must have seemed that way. She was the eldest of fourteen children, her mother was an alcoholic and her father had deserted them. A child herself, she had successfully taken up the responsibility of being both mother and father to her siblings during the worst years of the Depression.
There is no doubt whatsoever that my mothers attitude had a profound effect on me and my brothers and sister. My sister was least able to counteract the negative side of my mothers influence.
She would say: My greatest worry is when I have nothing to worry about.
This sounds like a contradiction: how can you worry when you have nothing to worry about? Yet I knew what she meant and I suspect you do, too! After all, when we have something to worry about, that worry obsesses our minds. If what were worrying about actually happened, nine times out of ten it would be no tragedy. But that niggling worry, insignificant as it might be in itself, prevents us from worrying about real tragedies.
Ive no doubt that being separated from my parents due to evacuation at the outbreak of World War Two merely confirmed the truth of the slogan for me. Winning a scholarship to a school at which every boy appeared to be socially, financially, physically and intellectually superior to me did nothing to disprove it. Nor did my chosen profession; I hated being an accountant.
As I look back on my life, it appeared to consist of only three things:
WORRY, WORRY AND WORRY!
There appeared to be just one bright side to my life: I had a truly great friend and companion, but for whom, I was convinced, I could not have handled these burdens. My friend was a packet of cigarettes. Not just one packet, you understand: I chain-smoked 60 to 100 cigarettes a day for over 30 years.
Needless to say, this friend had his faults. The biggest was that I knew he would kill me if I didnt give him up.
I made several attempts to quit, but every time I was so miserable that I eventually found an excuse to start again. I took the attitude:if this is life without my friend, Id rather have the shorter but happier life of the smoker.
In 1983 I discovered a method that would enable any smoker to quit immediately, easily and permanently, without using willpower or suffering withdrawal pangs. For obvious reasons I called it Easyway. I gave up being an accountant and eventually set up the first Easyway clinic. There are now Easyway clinics throughout the world and Im widely accepted as the worlds leading expert on how to quit smoking.
It soon dawned on me that the Easyway method is much more than just a cure for smoking and that it is just as effective for all drug addiction. In fact, it is a recipe for a happy life.
Im trying to remember the last time I worried about something. It was 18 years ago, when I threw in my accountants job and took on a 30,000 mortgage. I was worried that the Easyway venture might not be successful and that I would be unable to afford the mortgage on that first clinic. Given the same scenario today, I wouldnt have worried: not because in hindsight I was successful, but because there was no need to worry.
Am I categorically stating that Ive never worried about a single matter since then? No, I am not. But the fact that I cannot remember worrying proves my point. I can remember that my whole life was one continual worry before I discovered Easyway.
Am I categorically stating that the remainder of my life will be completely free of worry, problems, depression and stress? No, I am not. I have many problems, but very rarely suffer from depression or stress.
This book is not a series of useful tips enabling you to cope with the worries of life better, but rather an explanation of why your life can be virtually
FREE FROM WORRY.
WAS I JUST LUCKY?
In the sense that, like most people, I had been brainwashed from birth to believe that worry is an unavoidable part of our lives and that I spent the bulk of what should have been the best years of my life in a constant state of worry, the answer is: no, I was decidedly unlucky! However, in the sense that I escaped from the brainwashing, whereas most people suffer it for life, I was exceedingly lucky!
APPENDIX: THE GOLDEN RULES
- Think positively.
- If you have a problem, no matter how large or small, and cannot solve it immediately, devise a plan. If there is nothing you can do about it, theres no point in torturing yourself by worrying about it.
- If you find yourself worrying over a problem, ask yourself what is the worst scenario? Most times youll find that even if the worst scenario should happen, its no real disaster.
- Ignorance is a major cause of worry. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Being frightened to admit your ignorance is. It ensures that you remain both ignorant and worried!
- Fear is your friend. Just like a fire alarm, it is a warning to make you aware of danger and thus enable you to remove the danger or mitigate its effect. Most of our worries are created by fear and most of our fears by ignorance.
- Dont cry over spilt milk. Instead treat it as a valuable experience to ensure you never repeat the mistake.
- Dont be frightened to make mistakes.
- Invest in the future.
- Be aware that you possess the potential to be incredibly strong, both physically and mentally.
- Ensure that you realize this potential. Its the key to a worry-free life.
- Its never too late to learn.
- Teach your children the principles of Easyway.
- Lead a full, active, productive, happy and worry-free life.
- Jiminy Cricket knows best: always let your conscience be your guide.
- Honesty really is the best policy.
- Never waste your most precious gift
BY WORRYING ABOUT IT!
OTHER ALLEN CARR PUBLICATIONS
Allen Carrs revolutionary Easyway method is available in a wide variety of formats, including digitally as audiobooks and ebooks, and has been successfully applied to a broad range of subjects.
For more information about Easyway publications, please visit shop.allencarr.com
Stop Drinking Now (with hypnotherapy CD)
ISBN: 978-1-84837-982-4
Your Personal Stop Drinking Plan
ISBN: 978-1-78428-363-6
The Easy Way for Women to Stop Drinking
ISBN: 978-1-78599-147-9
The Illustrated Easy Way to Stop Drinking
ISBN: 978-1-78404-504-3
Your Personal Stop Smoking Plan
ISBN: 978-1-78404-501-2
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