Give your worries a can of whoop-ass, Part 2: What’s the worst that could happen?

This is Part Two in the Give Your Worries a Can of Whoop-Ass series. If you haven’t read Part One, click here.

Sometimes my thoughts start getting completely out of hand. I start making these doom and gloom predictions which cause me to worry even more. When I start feeling myself sink into a puddle of negativity, I often have to stop what I’m doing and seriously ask myself what is it I’m really worried about.

Get it out: write it down, say it out loud on paper (or something)

I’ve mentioned before that programs like Word and Excel are my partners-in-crime because I love writing lists and banging out spreadsheets, even if I don’t always follow them. There’s something about writing things down that makes things clear up and make a lot more sense. Right now, Google Docs is my instrument of choice.

What I like to do is write down what I’m worried about. Then under that I’d write down a bullet point list of all the things that could possibly go wrong. Then I start writing down all the ways I could prevent those things from happening. Then I start writing down what’s the worst that could happen if I couldn’t prevent something from happening anyway. Here’s a random example:

Worry: I’m worried that I’ll lose my job.

Why am I worried?

•  I’ll be forced to live in a car down by the river and eat out of dumpsters.
• I won’t have any money coming in and because I have too many bills, I’ll go bankrupt.
• I’ll be a bum forever and I’ll never get back on my feet.

How can I soften the blow?

• Cut back on unnecessary expenses, sell stuff I don’t need on eBay and Craigslist.
• Move somewhere with cheaper rent, or move back home with parents (perhaps paying a small rent?).
• Don’t be picky about jobs. Work in fast food or retail until I can find a better job or get a business off the ground.
• Call the loan companies and ask for a break due to financial troubles.

And if none of those work, what’s the worst that could happen?

• Lots of people survive without a job. Lots of people get laid off or fired. They’re still alive, right? It’s not optimal but the key is to not get stuck in worrying and keep doing something.
• Creditors keep coming after you anyway? File for bankruptcy. Sure it will hurt your credit score for 7 years or more and you’ll live like a bum for a while… but it is NOT the end of the world. You WON’T die.
• Can’t find any jobs? Get creative and make a job. Write articles for a few dollars. Hell, sell bottle caps if you have to until you do find a job.
• Now you know that the only way to go is up.

Hold your horses

Now I know these examples don’t apply to everyone as different people have different circumstances and responsibilities. I just want you to see how talking things out (or at least writing down all your options) can get your mind creative about how to make things work instead of allowing yourself to wallowing in worry. No matter what, there are ALWAYS options. You just have to look for them and not allow yourself to get idle.

The key is to get control of rampaging emotions. It can be done! Just do or write whatever works for you. Just write down anything that comes up in your mind. Don’t worry if what you write sounds down-right delusional. Delusion is an illusion… yea. Not sure if that sounded right or if it makes sense, but it’s true! Don’t let society dictate what can or cannot be done. Maybe it eventually does turn out to be delusional, but only because no one has done it successfully… YET.

Finally, don’t panic if the worries don’t magically disappear

Sometimes, the worries keep coming back (and they usually do come back). Actually I believe we’ll never be completely free of worries, but a good reminder will curb your worries and keep them manageable. In my case, I’d pull this list out and read/rewrite it a couple of times until I calm down and get creative again.

Don’t forget to share! What techniques do you use to curb your worries?

Stay tuned for more tips on giving your worries a can of whoop-ass!

• Part 1: Laughing
• Part 2: Analyzing the worst possible outcome
• Part 3: Just doing it
• Part 4: Deciding not to worry

**If you’re new here and enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe for future posts and updates. And feel free to share this post … I’d really appreciate it! Don’t forget to introduce yourself in the comments. Don’t be shy … I don’t bite. You can also add me on Twitter (@valeriemondesir).**

Related posts:

1. Give your worries a can of whoop-ass, Part 3: Just do it!
2. Give your worries a can of whoop-ass, Part 4: Deciding not to worry
3. Give your worries a can of whoop-ass, Part 1: Laughing
4. Cultivating the gratitude tradition (and creating your own Gratitude Day)
5. Get rid of dead weight: Channel frustration into creative ideas into action

Tagged as: reducing stress, stress