Are you someone who regularly thinks about the “what ifs”? What if it doesn’t work out… what if they don’t like me… what if the worst happens… what if I can’t do it…
Even if you’re not using those exact words you know the kind of thoughts that i mean.
Why don’t we trust ourselves more?
I think a lot of us struggle with knowing when the thoughts in our head are useful/need to be listened to – and when they’re basically just fear, anxiety or criticism masquerading as logic or ‘being sensible.’
A tip for the what ifs
Well, here’s a tip if you are someone who is always getting stuck in ‘what ifs.’
Any thought that starts with “what if” is an intrusive thought.
It’s not intuition.
Nor is it psychic wisdom.
It’s just fear.
Here’s what you can do with that thought
So, all you need to do when you hear a thought like that is:
Take a breath.
See it for what it is.
Let it pass.
It’s that simple.
In order for anxiety to dominate, we need to feel unsure and confused. Unable to see a clear action to take. Which means the way out of that is clarity.
Information like this provides the clarity that makes life feel so much simpler and easier. Next time you hear the “what ifs” starting up in your head you know what to do.
Changing perspectives on thoughts that keep us stuck like this is a big part of what we do in resilience coaching. Want to know more? Book a free intro call.
