Catastrophizing Tips - Part 2

Additional tips for when you are catastrophizing or spinning out in the worst case scenario? 

🔹 Reframe the What If 🔹

When we ask ourselves what if questions, it’s almost always a question that anticipates the negative thanks to the negativity bias. Questions like “what if I get fired?”

Then your brain looks for evidence that it is going to get fired thanks to confirmation bias. 

And you actually behave in a way that is more likely to get you fired! You ruminate, spin out, and avoid work. 

Because you think you are just asking the question, but really you are reaffirming to yourself that the worst case scenario is going to happen.

Which perpetuates the spin. 

Flip the what ifs:

▫️What if this turns out okay?

▫️What if this turns out better than I expect? 

▫️What if nothing has gone wrong?

▫️What if this is happening FOR me? (Only use this one when it feels good to you or appropriate for your situation. Sometimes it doesn’t benefit us to try and put a positive spin on something or to try and find meaning in something, especially when we are in the middle of it.)

Help your brain use confirmation bias for you and not against you. 

🔹 Focus on the Present 🔹

Try some breath work. You can Google different variations. My favorite? Breathe in for 4 counts. Hold for 7. Breathe out for 8. Repeat until your body feels lighter. 

Name some facts. Catastrophizing lives in the future. It thrives on fear, not facts. What do you currently know to be true? Facts only. No characterizations. Say them out loud. Write them down. What is truly in your control? What isn’t? What don’t you know? 

Final tip coming your way tomorrow--the most important one. 

⭐️Grab my free Catastrophizing workbook and get yourself on the list for more good free stuff: https://mailchi.mp/jenndealcoaching/catastrophizing.   

A ❤️ note to you: I love working with catastrophizers. Why? They are, at their core, problem solvers. That’s what your brain is trying to do when it’s catastrophizing, but it isn’t using the right tools for it. I can help you with that! Send me an email or sign up for a free consult at https://jenndealcoaching.as.me/consult and let’s get started now on making your career so much less stressful.