The wind howled as it whipped around the trees high overhead in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Piglet became afraid.
“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?” he asked nervously.
Pooh paused, giving the question his full consideration before replying.
“Supposing it didn’t.”
Who are you thinking more like today?
Piglet?
Or Pooh?
Piglet was doing what some of us have become experts at: CATASTROPHIZING. Catastrophizing is worry on steroids.
“No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”
Helen Keller
There are 4 downsides to worry & catastrophizing (there are more than that, but I’ll only mention 4 here in the hopes that this list will be sufficient to get you to stop worrying):
- 90% of the things we worry about don’t ever happen, which means valuable mental and emotional energy has been wasted.
- Worry begets worry. Why would you want to get caught in that downward vortex?
- Worry doesn’t change anything. When you emerge from your worry session, nothing has changed. The issue is still present, and you still have to deal with it.
- Worry creates more negative experiences, because it is a negative state of mind. Consciousness creates, so worry states of mind create negative outcomes.
The alternative?
Create a Pooh mindset.
The next time you’re tempted to worry over some possible future event or happening (like losing your job, or not getting the promotion, or a dwindling bank account, or a relationship on the skids, or a test result or any other thing you sit around wringing your hands over) and when you’re busy catastrophizing about the worst possible outcome, vividly picturing disaster, in that moment,
STOP
TAKE A DEEP BREATH
And state to yourself–calmly and assuredly–Pooh’s genius of an answer:
“Supposing it didn’t.”
Supposing it didn’t turn out badly. Supposing the trees of life that are being whipped up by the winds overhead didn’t fall on you.
Supposing everything turned out well. Just suppose.
Remember, you live in an absolute state of well-being always. It is your job to remember and recognize this truth.
“There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday…. And the other day I do not worry about is Tomorrow.”
Robert Jones Burdette
Be blessed as you stay calmly assured of beautiful outcomes,
VAL
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