Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge that this is indeed a very trying time for people and families around the world. In no way, shape, or form am I trying to minimize that. The virus is dangerous, the economic impact is very real, and it is absolutely not to be taken lightly by any of us. Let’s continue to stay home, continue to stay away from others, and continue to support each other and our healthcare workers.
What I am suggesting is this: the pandemic is a very clear reminder to stop worrying and stressing so much. Let me explain…
The majority of us live our day to day lives in some state of worry and stress about things that have not happened yet. What if I can’t pay rent in two weeks? What if I fail the exam I’m studying for? What if I can’t raise money for my business in time? What if I fail, again, at that diet I’m starting on Monday? What if I don’t finish the marathon I signed up for next Fall? What if I fumble my words during that presentation next week? What if I get fired from my job? What if my child gets hurt playing that sport?
We’re constantly worrying about things that have NOT happened yet. There are literally an infinite number of possible outcomes that could occur, yet we like to hyper-focus on the worst possible one. It’s not our fault. Our million-year-old brain is hardwired that way. It is an innate survival technique that is undeniably difficult to turn off.
The pandemic, to me, is a blatant reminder of one very important truth: we cannot predict the future. None of us know what’s going to happen in life. Not in a million years could any one of us have predicted what has unfolded over the past months. And not in a million years can any one of us predict what happens next in our own lives. ANYTHING can happen. There are an infinite number of possible scenarios. So why choose to focus on the worst possible one? Not only is that somewhat nonsensical, but it’s also extremely unlikely to actually occur.
How many hours over the past days, months, years did we spend worrying about passing that test, giving that presentation, not finishing that marathon, our child getting hurt in that sport? Then, in the blink of an eye, the test got cancelled, the presentation cancelled, Monday cancelled, the marathon cancelled, the child’s sports season over. All that stressing over a future event that did not even end up happening. This is more common than not. The fear, the doubt, the worry, is always the worst part. It’s never as bad as our thoughts make it out to be.
The reality is, we have no idea how the meeting, the presentation, the marathon, or anything in our future is going to play out. No one does.
So, perhaps there is an alternative state to live in, instead of worry, instead of fear. What if I ace that test, what if I crush that marathon, what if I raise ALL the money I need for my business, what if I figure out a way to pay rent like I always have, what if I keep the job and get promoted, what if my kid remains totally safe, what if I stick with that diet this time?
What if it all works out? What if it goes better than I ever could have imagined? What if, right now, I’m in the perfect spot, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be? Let’s live there. Because, the truth is, that is just as likely to happen as the worst case scenarios we worry about all the time.
We know our thoughts and feelings impact our physical health. The more we can realize that, at this very moment, we are totally and utterly safe from harm, and we can’t possibly know what’s coming next… the more relief, freedom, peace and ease (rather than dis-ease) we’ll experience.
We’re all doing our very best in this crazy life. We’re all figuring it out as we go. But, as we go, we can all choose to focus our attention and thoughts on the BEST possible outcomes, we can choose to lean into the unknown, we can choose to relax and let it all unfold. We can choose to hold excitement for the incredible, beautiful, extraordinary things that are coming our way. Because the alternative just doesn’t serve us.
