Does tawakkul mean I shouldn't worry?

Tie your camel, then trust

A man asked the Prophet ﷺ whether he should tie his camel and trust in Allah, or leave it untied and trust in Allah. He said: "Tie it and rely (upon Allah)" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2517).

So tawakkul includes action. Studying for an exam, applying for jobs, locking your door and seeing a doctor are all part of it, not signs that you lack trust.

Even the best of people felt fear

When the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hid in a cave while being hunted, Abu Bakr was afraid. The Prophet ﷺ didn't scold him. He comforted him: "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us" (Quran 9:40).

Prophets in the Quran felt fear too: Musa sensed apprehension within himself when facing Pharaoh's magicians (Quran 20:67). Fear came, and then trust carried them through it. That's the model for you.

What tawakkul feels like in real life

• You still care about the result, but you don't believe it all depends on you.
• You plan, then you sleep: once you've done your part, you're allowed to rest.
• You accept outcomes you didn't want, trusting that Allah sees what you don't.
• You keep asking: making dua for what you need is part of trust. See Can I make dua for worldly things like a job or a car?

The Prophet ﷺ said that if you relied on Allah as you should, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds, which go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2344). The birds don't sit in their nests. They go out, and Allah provides.

When worry won't let go

If worry is constant, physical (racing heart, tight chest, no sleep) or stops you from living normally, it may be an anxiety disorder. That's a health condition, not a failure of tawakkul. Getting treatment is itself "tying your camel." For calming words in the moment, see What dua can I say when I feel anxious? and What does "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" mean?