“Last night, while I lay thinking here,
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their some ole Whatif song” Shel Silverstein
As a child with anxiety, I identified with this poem in a huge way. It made me feel not-quite-so-alone to know that someone else got it. The question is, what do we do about those nasty Whatifs?
Click here to watch the video about how to feel better and change the Whatif song in your head, or just keep reading!
The “Whatif’s” are not new to us anxiety thrivers. We are all familiar with the feeling of dread that comes with the negative Whatifs. I don’t know if I can say it better than Shel himself,
“Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?”
Who could stand it? No one would feel good with all that crap going through his/her head. How do we stop it though? The end of the poem goes like this…
“Whatif my teeth don’t grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems swell, and then
The nighttime Whatifs strike again!”
What the heck? Tell me how to stop it! Suddenly the poem made me feel worse!
Well guess what? There IS a way to stop it!
The first step is to identify it is happening. Some people do not even realize they are doing it. Here is a hint, you feel bad! If you are feeling dread or super negative about something, chances are, the negative Whatifs have creeped into your ear!
Anytime I am feeling negative about an upcoming event, I check in with my Whatifs. Did I make it doomsday in my head again? Once I identify it, I can change it. What is the movie playing in my head? Is it me as a victim or me as a winner and thriver?
I like to do this with my clients. Lets play the positive Whatif game:
What if I can handle it?
What if this happened for a reason?
What if everyone loves me?
What if The Universe supports me?
What if it is all working out?
One of my favorite things to do is to incorporate high quality essential oils with the positive Whatifs! If you can associate your positive Whatif with a smell, you are changing your body on a cellular level! It is easier to believe that positive Whatif if you can incorporate your senses. High quality essential oils are a perfect way to do this, because they help you physically and emotionally! Try peppermint, lemon, lime, wild organge, or tell me what is your favorite oil!
Now you play! What you will notice is that your positive Whatif’s are not only more helpful to your emotional wellbeing, but they are almost always more likely. Please comment below (or respond to this email) with a positive Whatif that you are choosing today! I would love to hear from you!
Make yourself the winner in your movie. It’s up to you.
Peace, Love, and Positive Whatif’s,
Your Fab Life Coach Elizabeth
