It's Not As Bad As You May Think

No matter what the issue. No matter what the circumstance, you are probably making it more than it is. Now listen to me. I know this because I do it too. The fatalistic thinking. The dramatization. The negative worry, doubt, fears and criticism. Your imagination is running wild thinking of all the ways this could go wrong and how things could get worse and why the sky is falling.

The sky isn’t falling.

You have two choices. You can choose to keep spinning in circles screaming like a banshee and crying woe is me or you can choose to see that it is not as bad as you might think.

Before you make that choice perhaps you should take a few deep slow breaths. Even if you are not physically running, the breaths will slow down your racing mind.

Go ahead. Breathe. Slowly inhale. Smoothly exhale.

Again. Inhale.

Exhale.

One more time. Take a nice deep breath in.

Then release.

Don’t you feel a bit calmer? Whoa, I’m not suggesting the problem is solved and the fire has stopped burning. We will get back to that. I’m just asking you to acknowledge that taking a moment to breathe has given you just a bit of calming space between you and this catastrophe. It didn’t even take long to get there and now you are in a better place to make decisions.

Great. Now ask yourself if you really want to start spinning in circles again or if you are open to the possibility that it is not as bad as you might think?

If you need to spin in circles be honest about it. Sometimes there is purpose even in the spinning. Just don’t get stuck there or suggest it’s required to spin each time things go wrong.

Now if you choose to be open to the possibility that it is not as bad as you might think, let me remind you of what you want to do next.

1. Acknowledge That It Is What It Is

Whatever it is, however you feel, just acknowledge it. Be honest call it how you see it. It is okay to admit you’re less than pleased. There’s a really good chance that even if it is really bad it’s not the end of the world the way you’ve imagined it. If you are blowing things out of proportion, give it a rest. That is exhausting and it solves nothing. Stop exaggerating.

2. Decide To Be Grateful Anyway

This might be a stretch at first but you can do it if you believe you can. Come up with real good reasons to be thankful despite whatever it is. Even if they are unrelated. Even if you have to start with small things. Even if you have to be thankful for the baby steps. Even if you have to reach back into recent memory. Do what you can to stay in this current moment and the current day. Just be grateful and give thanks. Appreciate the love all around you. Allow yourself to see the little things. Where is there joy in your life? How many things about your current moment can you be thankful for?

Once you acknowledge what it is and give yourself some convincing authentic reasons why you still have joy, go back and take a fresh look at your situation.

Is it as bad as you thought? Right. Even if it’s still bad, your perspective has jumped into a more positive place. You have probably thought of a new step forward. And with a new step forward, with a path toward a better place, you can truly say in truth that it’s not as bad as you thought.