Dolvett's Wisdom

Dolvett, one of the trainers on "The Biggest Loser," just blew my mind.

There is a woman on the show named Gina who constantly worries she's going to be kicked off the Ranch. It's half-way through the show and she's still there, but she continues to be fearful because she is the oldest, the smallest, etc., etc., etc....

Dolvett pulls her aside and says, "The worry is bigger than the joy. Look out there." He points to the other contestants and reminds her of her success by being the oldest contestant left. Then he says, "You have nothing to worry about but the stuff you create," and points to his head. "Gina has a very bad habit of coming from a negative place."

Yep, me too.

I have an anxiety disorder. I take medication for it. It helps. Still, I worry all the time. All. The. Time. And when I really don't have anything to worry about, I make stuff up.

For example, I owe two customers paintings. I've taken much longer than I originally planned to finish them, and they're still not complete. While both customers have been overly generous in giving me more time, I worry about their feelings every day. I imagine my customers are secretly very disappointed in me. While I'm confident in my work, I imagine them not wanting to pay for the final product because it took too long. I imagine them bad-mouthing me to their friends and regretting hiring me in the first place.

Do you know what my customers are actually doing? What we all are- trying to pay the bills, put food on the table, and take care of the kids.


You have nothing to worry about except what you create in your mind.


My apartment is messy, I imagine my fiance coming in town to surprise me. I haven't heard from my professor, I imagine she is taking extra time to criticize my work. I come in a few minutes late, I imagine all my co-workers shooting me looks and talking behind my back.


The worry is bigger than the joy. And that's just ridiculous.

I'm getting married. I'm completing my assignments. I have a job. Now I just need to listen to Dolvett more often.