Empty Worries, Worthless Stress

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Cover for National Police Credit Union
Congratulations!! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+2Image attachment

Congratulations!! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Thank you for your service, Congratulations and God Bless

Congratulations, Stay Safe

God Bless all First Responders and Military personnel.

Congratulations and stay safe

Congratulations!! Stay safe!

Congratulations!! Stay safe!The Williamsburg Police Department would like to introduce the three newest members of our police department along with the new Williamsburg Chief of police, Chief M. Timmers! Congratulations and welcome to the team! (From Left to Right - Officer Reynolds, Officer Dearing, and Officer Hamiel) ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Congratulations!! Stay safe!

Congratulations!! Stay safe!Welcome to SPD, Class 853!

If you like helping people, and would like to be a part of the fabulous work we do, here's information on how to apply to become a Seattle Police Officer: fal.cn/3wC2A
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations and stay safe

Thank you NO!

Congratulations lord PLZ keep them safe as they do their jobs 🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙🙏

Congratulations!! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations!! Praying 🙏 for your safety and security

Congratulations to all of you on supporting your community. It is a very demanding and important career. Stay safe and make sure to express your love for your family as they wait for you to return home safely. I will keep you in my prayers.

Congratulations, Thank you for your service and God Bless

Congratulations. God Bless you and your family's

Congratulations and stay safe

Congratulations!! Stay Safe out there.

Congratulations besafe out there

Congratulations but be aware, wolves. Police walking out quitting for a reason.. Stay close to God, lawlessness.

Congratulations 🎉 and Blessings 🙏

🎉🎉🎉🎉

Congratulations may yall b safe as you do ur jobs 🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙💙💙👍

THANKS HEROES

Good bless each and every law enforcement officer

GOOD LUCK. HOPE YOU MAKE IT TO RETIREMENT !!!!

View more comments

#Heroes

#heroesWhen three LAPD K9 officers were shot last week, LA County Sheriff’s Department did not hesitate to offer their services, by providing their own K-9 unit to help with LAPD K9 callouts.

Two agencies. One county. One goal. Protecting and serving the community.

Thank you Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Go Blue!! Thank you for all you do!!!

Deepest Sympathy to LAPD K9 Officers 💙💙💙 with eternal thanks to LA County Sheriff Dept ❣️ praise and prayers to all of our Law Enforcement Warriors 🙏🏻

This should not be happening and the criminals getting away with it .Pray for our police,Pity these politicians dont show as much respect for these officers as they did george floyd Back The Blue

Sorta hoping for some perps... Eliminated 💥💥💥

Ty

View more comments

Great job! Thank you!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Great job! Thank you! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
💙🐾Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

💙🐾 ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Rest in Peace. Thank you for seven years of service, K-9 Indi!

Rest in Peace. Thank you for seven years of service, K-9 Indi!The DeKalb County Police Department is mourning the loss of one of our canines. Retired K-9 Indi served for 7 years, 2013-2020. He served his entire career with his handler, Sgt. N.R. Larsen. During their time together, they gave outstanding service to the police department, the citizens of DeKalb County, and the Metro Atlanta area. #WeAreDKPD ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Rest In Peace and thank you for your service 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🚓🚓🚓

Rip big beautiful boy. Thanks for your service. Go run free. ❤️🙏

So sorry for your loss. RIP

Rest in Peace.Thanks for your service.

Thank you K9 Indi for your service. Fly with the angels sweet pup. Back the Blue 💙

Sorry to hear. Thank you for your service. RIP. prayers to handler and family

Prayers always 🙏 ❤

K9 Indi 💙 RIP and thank you for your service 🙏🏻 prayers for your loved ones left behind

So sorry for your loss. Thank K9 Indi for his service to his community. Condolences to the family and friends

Our condolences 🐾💐

God bless him

Rest in Peace buddy

God bless

Rest In Peace

Rest in Peace K-9 Indi 🐾🐾🐾👮‍♂️💙🖤

So very sorry! RIP HERO!

Rip K9 Indi

Awwwhh, RIP.

INDI, A HERO THAT WAS LOVED💙

RIP

RIP

Rip

RIP 🖤💙

You are beautiful so sorry for his loss

Prayers for him!🇺🇸🙏🌹

View more comments

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐊-𝟗 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞!!!!Image attachment

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐊-𝟗 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞!!!! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Happy birthday

Happy Birthday 🎉🎊🎈

Happy Birthday K-9 Archie

Happy Birthday LEO 🎂🎉n many more 💙💙💙💙💙💙🙏🙏

View more comments

Great job, K-9 Groot!!!! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Thank you for 7 years of service, K-9 Jacquo!!!!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Thank you for 7 years of service, K-9 Jacquo!!!! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

AWESOME HAVE A GREAT LIFE OF LEISURE

Awesome! Enjoy your retirement and thank you for your service 👍💙

Beautiful. Happy Retirement. Thank you for your service and God bless you and watch over you

Thank you Officer Jacque stay safe 🇺🇸🙏❤️👮‍♀️🐕

Happy retirement

Thank you for your service K-9 Jacquo. 💙💙💙💙

Enjoy your retirement

♥️♥️♥️

Enjoy ur retirement n thank you for ur service 💙🫡🫡🫡🫡

K9 Officer Jacquo 💙 happy retirement and thank you for your service 💙❣️

View more comments

Thank you, #Heroes!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Thank you, #heroes! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
#Heroes 💙🐾Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

#heroes 💙🐾 ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+2Image attachment

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Congrats God plz keep her safe as she does her job 🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙💙💙

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+3Image attachment

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+Image attachment

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Chris Schiller joined the Argonia Police Department as its newest part-time officer! He will serve as the interim Police Chief. Chris currently works as a federal officer in Wichita. Prior to this, he was a Special Agent with the Union Pacific Railroad Police and a law enforcement officer in Oregon. Chris is in the National Guard, serving as a combat medic in Afghanistan in 2014. If you see him, feel free to stop for a conversation! Welcome to Argonia Chris! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Congrats Sir b safe out there as so many thugs don’t respect ur badge 💔💔🥵🥵🥵🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Thank you for 37 years of service! Enjoy retirement!Image attachment

Thank you for 37 years of service! Enjoy retirement! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations now go and enjoy you deserve your retirement

Thank you for 24 years of service! Enjoy retirement!

Thank you for 24 years of service! Enjoy retirement!Last Thursday we said goodbye and good luck to Lt. Ryan Kwitkin who served for 24 years as he retired. Ryan worked in Patrol for most of his career, but also worked the tactical patrol team. I say retire, but Ryan is heading to another department out west where he will serve as their Deputy Chief. Ryan we thank you for your service and wish you well as you start your new journey. Keep in touch and check in every now and then. Be safe. ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Thank you for your service.

💙💙

Thank you for your service!! Enjoy retirement!

Thank you for your service!! Enjoy retirement!Today is the last day of the shift rotation and It is also the last time Sergeant Burkhalter will work an entire rotation. He will be retiring in a few months and moving with his family out of state. We are excited for him but also bitter sweet to see my former partner retire. His shift came together today and presented him with a gift to show their appreciation. I’m honored to work with a good group of people. Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of something special. Join our family www.joinmonroviapd.org. Link is also on our profile. We got your six Sergeant Burkhalter 🤘🏽 ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Comment on Facebook

Many MANY thanks to each of you and especially Sergeant Burkhalter 💙 enjoy your retirement Sir 💙

Happy Retirement!!

🙏💙🙏

View more comments

Latest Tweets

ENDING SOON: Our 0% Balance Transfer Promotion ends at close-of-business on Monday, April 3, 2023.
For details, please visit: https://t.co/3rnWY3T1Jv. https://t.co/yKzTYPDbJa
NatlPoliceCU photo
ENDING SOON: Our 0% Balance Transfer Promotion ends soon!
For details, please visit: https://t.co/3rnWY3Tzz3. https://t.co/VoAamYRByZ
NatlPoliceCU photo

Empty Worries, Worthless Stress

I am not a doctor nor do I play one on television. I do make it a point to constantly observe and pay attention to those around me, however, and based on what I have witnessed, I am confident that the following statement is accurate.

Stress kills. I am not talking about the type of stress that you may think you feel right before a big moment or in the heat of a debate. The kind of stress that will kill you is the long term, over riding stress that does not go away. It won’t kill you right away either. It prefers to work you over slowly and methodically, destroying your positive energy and sucking the joy from your life until you are eventually consumed with and paralyzed by worry, fear, and dread.

I also am firmly convinced that you cannot live life worry free either. Some worry and, therefore, some stress result from living a life that entails a level of personal responsibility, care for others, and defined values and beliefs.

So, if worry is a part of life, you must find a way to effectively manage it and channel it toward something positive because the alternative is simply not an option.

Worrying for the sake of it is not productive. If you are one of those people who purposely worry because you have made yourself believe that you will create a positive outcome by focusing on the worst that could happen, please stop and think about that for a second.

If you find that you are a worrier by nature, take some time and reflect on what the causes of all that worry are. Be as specific as you can and identify as many different roots for that worry as possible. Once you have done that, sort your worries into two categories, the things that you can do something about and those that you cannot.

Study the list that you feel you have some influence and control over and start thinking about the decisions that you need to make and the actions that you need to take to handle the causes of those worries. When you do that, you will take control of a situation that you have otherwise let control you prior to that point.

If you agree that stress is only caused by what you cannot control or do not understand, then you will go a long way toward eliminating that stress by taking action and exercising your powers to reason, decide, and ultimately execute a plan.

By identifying the source of your worry and then acting to eliminate it, you have made your worry count. I call this productive worrying. Trying to stop your mind from wandering to a place of concern when you are a responsible, caring person is a futile task. Thinking of a worry as an indicator that you need to take action is a healthy way to channel your worry toward a better situation and a desired outcome.

If you are worried about how you are going to do on a test, go back over your notes or ask a friend to quiz you on the material. If you are worried about that presentation you have to make tomorrow, practice it one more time and then make it a point to concentrate on something else, whether that be a good book, your favorite show, or the jigsaw puzzle that you have been avoiding.

Now, back to the list of the items that you are worrying about for which you have no control and cannot influence. The easy thing to say is to just forget those things because you cannot do anything about them anyway. I am not going to say that for two reasons; one is that it doesn’t help and two is that there are some situations that fall into this category that are still worth a lot of your thought and concern even if there isn’t much you can do about it.

Concern for the health of a loved one, for example, is a perfectly natural and unavoidable source of worry. Depending on the severity of the situation, it could also be the cause of stress and anxiety. Even in this situation, it helps to focus as best as you can on the things that you can do versus the things that are beyond your control. Many times, the actions that you take, even in the face of what is a difficult or impossible situation, are the actions that will be the most meaningful and helpful.

Providing comfort, sharing thoughts, or spending time with the person you are concerned about are all things that will come a little easier to you if you are focused on what you can do as opposed to being consumed by the worry and fear that multiplies exponentially if you are solely focused on what you cannot do or what is beyond your control.

Recognizing your worries for what they are, categorizing them appropriately, deciding to take action when and where you can are all steps that will ensure that your worries are productive and helpful. If you handle your worries effectively, you will prevent stress from negatively influencing your life and you will live much more enjoyably as a result.

One further comment about stress that highlights this point. Not all stress is bad. I have worked with many people on public speaking. We devote a great deal of time overcoming the barriers that many people create or misinterpret that prevent them from trying their hand at making presentations or speeches. Several people reference their nerves, or the lump in their throat, or the butterflies in their stomach as reasons why they have no willingness to speak or perform in front of others.

These sensations may feel like stress, but they are really just indicators that something big is about to happen. Everyone’s inner self works a little differently, but we are all creatures of habit in one way or another and we all have indicators that tell us something different is going on. If you are open to that explanation, try to embrace it the next time one of your indicators is blinking.

Give the roller coaster a try, stand up when others sit down, go forward instead of turning around and just see what happens. You may find exhilaration and joy where you expected to find fear or embarrassment.

That part is up to you. Just don’t ever allow those empty worries to develop into worthless stress.

 

Scott Arney
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union

Share This Post

Recent Posts

I graduated from college many years ago, 30 to be exact.  I was one of the fortunate few who knew exactly what I wanted to do for a career.  In fact, I knew from the time that I was in middle school that I wanted to work in banking.
When our kids were old enough to prioritize and young enough for my wife and I to exercise our influence over them, we simplified our parenting instructions down to one absolute order.
We have a cat.  His name is Catso.  Although he was named many years ago when our kids were much younger, his name still fits his personality.

GO!

Learn more about Strategies for Investing at the Credit Union’s next Financial Fitness for First Responders, a free online virtual educational seminar created for Law Enforcement Officers and their families. For more information, visit our website.

GO!

Learn more about Strategies for Investing at the Credit Union’s next Financial Fitness for First Responders, a free online virtual educational seminar created for Law Enforcement Officers and their families. For more information, visit our website.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

We’d love to add you to our mailing list.