February can be a tough time of year, it’s still dark and cold and winter can feel like it’s going on forever. A few sunny days remind us of better days to come and maybe another fabulous summer.
It’s during the winter months that I tend to witness the most cases of what I call the ‘what if syndrome’. The sentence usually starts off positively, for example, “I’m going to change my job this year. I know I need to make that change in order to improve my life & this is the year I’m going to do it!” and then it is quickly followed by the “but, what if….?” At this point, most of us will go down the path of considering the worst-case scenario and this is where we can get fearful and end up staying where we are.
We are naturally predisposed to think about the worst-case scenario as a course of protection. Ultimately, it’s the caveman part of the brain kicking in to ensure survival. I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression, ‘fear of the unknown’. It’s when we don’t know what’s going to happen or have guaranteed outcomes that this fear kicks in to ensure we cover the worst-case scenario & minimise risk to ensure survival. When we’re considering making big changes in our lives, especially around our careers, the worst-case scenario usually leads to not earning enough money to provide a roof over our heads and our family. These are all very real considerations, aren’t they?
What are equally real considerations though, are the best-case scenarios. As we’re not predisposed to think in this way, often this is much harder for us to conceive – it’s definitely not what’s keeping us awake at 4am is it?!
Please note though that neither the worst- or best-case scenarios are guaranteed but, they are both possible.
Notice how different you feel when you’re thinking about the best-case scenarios. Maybe your body language is different, maybe you feel lighter, maybe you feel happier; excited; positive, optimistic. None of these feelings mean that you’re going to make a bad a decision or the wrong decision by the way. Decisions based on logic and reason aren't always the right ones either are they? On paper it can look like the best, considered and reasoned choice but it doesn't necessarily mean it will have the best outcome. Read my previous blog about decisions made on gut feelings for more on that.
I am a great believer in self-fulfilling prophecies and energies around the law of attraction. If you’re putting out positive energy, there will be a ripple effect and that positive energy will come back to you.
In its simplest terms, it’s someone smiling back at you when you smile at them. What you think, leads to how you feel which leads to how you behave. By focusing your thoughts, energies and efforts into the best-case scenario, I believe, you are far more likely to achieve that outcome!
Start focusing on your best possible outcomes and notice what happens - share your stories with me, I'd love to hear from you! jenny@revitalisecoaching.co.uk
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