I know who you are.
You.
Yes, you!
You’re the one who is always predicting what could happen, what might happen, what should happen and then spiraling down the rabbit hole worrying about all the freaking possibilities of each tiny possible outcome (even if it’s virtually impossible for it to come true).
I see you girl.
And believe it or not, this kind of “crystal ball” thinking is quite common among those of us who are struggling with anxiety and even among us high achieving, successful women.
It’s part of why you’re successful right? The ability to be prepared for every possible scenario, is not necessarily a bad thing.
And actually, it’s a good way to keep anxiety at bay too (more on that later),
BUT….
It can be debilitating to imagine all the possible horrific negative outcomes because this just feeds into your anxiety monster and makes you feel worse.
So, here’s a little tip:
Write down the event that you’re worried about (not the worries but the actual event/conversation/meeting, etc.) and then write down all the positive outcomes of what you’re hoping for.
Example: You’re supposed to give a report at your meeting tomorrow. You’re terrified you’re going to freeze up, forget your words, be made fun of and then get fired. (see what I did there?? Hello Alice!)
Instead, let’s rewind there: You’re giving a report tomorrow at your meeting AND you nail it!! You talk confidently and smoothly, using your PowerPoint and notes that you created to keep you on task. Your co-workers praise you and your boss remarks how helpful your presentation was. You nailed it!
Whew, that was MUCH better!
Notice how differently you feel when you imagine all the positive outcomes that will happen instead of worrying about how you’re going to fuck it all up.
Next time you see this coming, try this little tweak to deal with anxiety, and let us know if it works for you. Happy anxiety slaying!
If you need some extra support, we’ve got you! Easily schedule a session with one of our therapists online here.
