The worst that could happen

The Worst That Could Happen

The other day I thought I heard someone getting into my car at four in the morning. I nudged my boyfriend, “I think someone is stealing my car.” Not even opening his eyes, he says, “You wanted a new car, right? This will make that happen faster; now go back to sleep.”

Of course he was right, and what I heard was probably my neighbors going surfing. But it reminded me that for most of the things we worry about, the worst thing that could happen usually isn’t that bad. I admit I was almost disappointed when I saw my Honda in my parking spot the next day since I had already decided on what color Mazda I wanted.

I see a lot of clients who are out of their mind with worry, and most of the time what they worry about either probably wouldn’t happen (like suddenly becoming homeless), or if it did, it really wouldn’t be that bad, like in my case with the car. Similarly, lots of business owners who are seeing drops in business are worried about what would happen next. Most of the time, if you really talk to them, you find out that there are lots of things they know they could do to save their businesses, but they are trying not to do them, like lay off people or downsize their office space.

If worry is a big concern for you right now, try this exercise:

1. Think of a situation that’s bothering you or causing upset.

2. Now ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen in this situation?”

3. When you have the answer, ask yourself, “Then what would happen?” And keep asking that question until you are as far down as you can go. Let’s say the worst thing that could happen was losing your job; then you might lose your house; and then end up homeless with no car. Or whatever you think is worst case for you.

4. When you have the absolute worst thing that can happen written down, I want you to take a hard look at the situation and ask yourself if you really think that’s likely to happen. If you have family or friends living in the area, no matter what, you aren’t likely going to end up homeless. And unemployment may not be a lot of money, but it is something.

5. Now I want you to write down at least three positive things that could come as a result of the “worst thing” happening. One of my clients started laughing when he realized that if he lost everything and had to declare bankruptcy, he would be debt free for the first time in almost ten years. Not so bad, huh?

So often the worst thing that could happen is really not worth taking years off of your life by worrying about it. And keep in mind, the worst things that can happen almost never do and even if they did, you can handle it. I believe in you.

Jill Thomas CCHT
Healthy Habits Hypnosis
760-803-2841
www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com

Stress reduction with Cats

Stress reduction as taught by Sophia & Sonya Thomas-Massey

I used to laugh at cat people for being so into their animals but now I get it. Cats have a lot to teach about how to handle stress and keep life in balance. I recently have been blessed with two cats and watching them has been both fun and educational. Here is a bit of what I have learned about stress reduction from my girls.

-The cats usually give me about 30 minutes on my laptop before they climb on and make me quit. Too much work at home is not good.

-The best toys are free or almost free: The cats have so much fun with bottle caps and discarded pens and I keep thinking I need a new iPod. Silly.

-Get more Exercise: Housecats will just start running around the house for no reason. We make getting exercise such a production with scheduling personal training sessions and gym workouts. Sometimes it’s best to just strap on your shoes and go for a walk, or better yet a jog.

-Daily Stretching and Yoga: Cats seem to stretch about 8 times a day and this seems to keep them healthy. We should all stretch more.

-Do things just for the fun of it: I suspect the cats have figured out there is nothing to catch when chasing a laser pointer. So why do they do it? Because it’s fun and for no other reason. We should do things that are fun, just because and not get so caught up all the time in our greater agendas.

-If your sister is sitting in the better place on the couch then just bit her ankle… wait maybe you should just find another seat. I guess there are a few things we can teach them too.

Love your cat and yourself and go out for a walk just for the fun of it.