INSPIRING LIFE SCHOOL PODCAST
EPISODE 34 – WORST CASE SCENARIO
INSPIRING LIFE SCHOOL PODCAST
EPISODE 34 TRANSCRIPT:
WORST CASE SCENARIO
Welcome to this episode which is another mini pep talk episode and this time we are chatting about embracing and making peace with the WORST CASE SCENARIO.
Now I have to be honest this is not a place that we really love to visit but we often go there in our own imagination.
I spoke about this idea that worrying is a waste of your mental energy and your imagination in my HOW TO STOP WORRYING episode.
But if you are prone to imagine that worst case scenario I think we can learn to use this to our benefit.
So let me explain this by sharing with you a few examples.
Let’s just say there is a situation where your job is potentially unstable and on the line.
So what people usually do is sit there paralyzed and get stuck in this cycle of worry before actually using it as a moment of strength, as a place that will lead us to growth and help us become stronger.
But let’s just say that the worst case scenario is that you do indeed lose your job, well then what?
Allow your mind to go to this hypothetical spot and just decide: what would you actually do then.
Yes it might feel uncomfortable to think about it but rather than allowing yourself to be swallowed up with grief and fear and anxiety come at it from a place of confidence, strength and problem-solving.
What could you do?
You would probably just have to find another job.
You might find something that you love doing even more.
It could be a blessing in disguise.
If you were in financial stress, you could maybe move back home with your parents or be forced to come up with new ideas to be frugal or make some money or start a side hustle or do things differently in order to survive.
But you could and would somehow survive.
Yes it might be challenging and yes it could be stressful but your thoughts ultimately decide how you feel about any situation you experience in life and you can always choose to think thoughts that make you feel strong and resilient and unbreakable.
When you make peace with the worst case scenario and you discover that there is nothing to fear there because you will always cope with anything that comes your way and you can always come up with a new game plan when forced to, then it suddenly takes away some of the sting and fear that comes up when you imagine the worst case scenario happening.
Because our fear comes from not knowing how we will cope with it but when you give it some thought and suddenly acknowledge that hang on, even if that worst case scenario happened I would survive, I would pick myself back up, I would make choices and decisions that moved me forward – when you make peace with this worst case scenario happening then you will discover that you can cope with any discomfort and challenges that come your way.
So answer your WHAT IFs if they are demanding your attention or if your thoughts keep going that way.
Like what if my mom or dad passed away, well I would mourn them and keep their memory alive forever.
What if my child fails a grade?
Well I will be there for them to give them guidance in the future, I will support and love them no matter what.
What if my car breaks down and I can’t get to work?
Well you would call your boss and explain the situation.
You could ask for a lift, you could catch a cab, you could jump onto a bus… you would find a way to make it work.
What if my husband has an affair?
Well you would survive that too because you can survive anything.
You would grieve the loss of the relationship, feel the pain and then trust that this happened because it was meant to happen and allow yourself to believe in love again.
What if your child died?
You would be devastated, heartbroken and feel the pain once again but there is a chance that you could still find beauty in this world, and be open to peace again once you had grieved, even if it left a scar that never quite healed.
As you can see I have offered some of the extreme worst case scenarios here as examples – not because this is something that any of us want or need to focus on on a daily basis but to demonstrate that even if the worst thing in this world happened to you – whatever you think that situation would entail – you could still survive it because our strength comes from within.
This feeling of peace is always available to us because it comes from our own thoughts and so rather than worrying about things happening, I don’t think there is anything wrong with facing that monster head on and saying to it: you don’t scare me anymore, if you pop up in my life I will come up with a plan to get past you.
When you think like that, this monster worst case scenario monster begins to shrink, it becomes so small that you could almost stomp on it and destroy it or even leapfrog over it because what used to look or feel like a brick wall has suddenly become a smaller hurdle that you can jump over.
If you aren’t there just yet or have a worst case scenario that still feels overwhelming (because of course your thoughts have decided it is too overwhelming) remember you can offer your brain bridging thoughts in the meantime to help you get comfortable with this idea of embracing the worst case scenario.
You can simply decide that IT IS POSSIBLE that you will be able to cope.
IT IS POSSIBLE that I could learn to do this.
It is possible that I don’t know my own strength yet.
It is possible that I am so much more resilient than I realise right now.
Another important point I should note is that I am not just saying that we need to sit down and think about worst case scenario situations all day long.
This is simply a tool I recommend using if that’s where your mind goes to on occasion.
If it does go there, play out the scenario and see how you can be the hero of your own story, someone who is strong and resilient, someone who uses that challenge to their advantage and can potentially see it as a gift.
But at the same time, make sure you are giving equal air time to what else might be possible.
Spend just as much time thinking about the BEST CASE SCENARIOS.
Like what if this amazing thing happened?
What if I achieved that big goal or succeeded in my business or created the most amazing relationship?
What if the very best things happened to it and what would I need to do, how would I need to show up to make that happen?
So remember that – give equal air time to both the best and worst case scenario and remember worrying is a terrible waste of your imagination.
Instead you can use your imagination to plan and create and brainstorm the very best results in your life.
So in a nutshell I just wanted you to know that this tool is available to you at any moment in your life.
If the worst case scenario enters your mind, learn to make peace with it because it will take the fear out of the fear.
If you never get married, it will be okay.
If you never have kids, it will still be okay.
If you get sick, it will still be okay.
If you face a tragedy, you will find a way to cope with it as well.
You are the one who gets to decide that no matter what you face in life, everything will be okay.
This does not mean that you are hoping these worst case scenarios come to pass but it does mean that the fear of it happening won’t hold you hostage anymore.
Instead you will be free from that fear; you will find your strength and remember that even though the worst thing that can happen rarely passes, if it does you will be fine, you would somehow find a way to survive.
So I hope this episode has been helpful to you.
As always I love and appreciate you all.
Thanks so much for being here with me and until next time, dream big my friend.
Before You Go…
- Grab your free gift: How To Stop Self-Sabotaging Yourself Guide (4 steps to finally get out of your own way) CLICK HERE
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- Listen to my Inspiring Mom Life podcast on Spotify or via Apple Podcasts.
With a degree in psychology, Frances Vidakovic is a certified life coach, course creator and host of the Inspiring Life Podcast. Her superpower is transforming dreamers into doers with simple, kick-up-the-butt strategies.
