Here’s a little trick I learned years ago from a very good friend:
When facing something bad or frightening, ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” If you can live with the answer to that, anything less will be a cinch.
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I’ve often been called the Prophet of Doom and Gloom. It’s a title I wear proudly. The way I see it, prepare for the worst case scenario because it probably won’t happen. Interestingly, preparing for the worst case scenario makes everything else easier to handle. I prefer to think of myself as a of the Master of the Calculated Risk and that I can live with.
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Exactly! My other favorite axiom has always been, “Hope for the best, but PREPARE for the worst.”
If you don’t need to use those preparations, then yay! You’re ahead of the game. (And I don’t think that’s necessarily a Gloom & Doom sort of attitude. It just makes sense to me.) 🙂
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A good reminder, Marcia. Thanks!
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It’s all in how you look at it, though that can sometimes be hard to remember. 🙂 ❤
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That’s good logic. At worse, you are prepared for what comes. Being prepared helps you overcome. Thanks for the advice.
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It has always helped me, so I figured I’d share. Glad it makes sense to you, Darnell! 🙂 And thanks for taking time to comment, too.
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Great advice! I tend to look for the light of hope when things go sideways. Thankfully, for the most part my faith has seen me through. {{hugs}}
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Hope is never a bad thing to have, for sure. And knowing you can handle the worst outcome can give you strength as well. 🙂 ❤ And Hugs back atcha! 🙂
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One of my author friends uses a similar approach when her plot becomes a bit staid: she asks herself what’s the worst thing that could happen to her characters, and then makes it happen!
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Ha! I love that! And then she makes them deal with it and (hopefully) prevail. Exactly what we have to remember in our own lives. 🙂 ❤
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thanks for reblogging, Jaye! 🙂 ❤
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I don’t like to tempt fate by using words like ‘worst’, I usually just grin and bear it, secretly hoping I can cope with whatever happens…
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I don’t think of it as tempting fate. I think of it more as being confident that I can deal with what comes, no matter the level. And usually, I can, once I get past the sniveling and shaking my fist at the sky part. 😀 ❤ But as long as it works for you, it's all good. 🙂 ❤
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I’ve described myself as an optimistic pessimist because I do always prepare for the worst and am (usually) pleasantly surprised! Hope things are healing nicely. xx
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That’s the way to do it, Trish. Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst, just in case, and then you’re covered no matter what happens. 😀 ❤
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Hmm, there’s no link?
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I didn’t post a link. I just underlined the intro, and then made the statement I wanted to share below it. Sorry it confused you. (I did say it was “shortish!” 😀 😀 😀 )
Okay, removed the underline and added a colon. That should make it clearer. 🙂 ❤
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Lolllllllllllllllllll, had to ask justin case. 🙂 x
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Since links on this blog are usually red, it never occurred to me underlining alone would be confusing. But I’ll remember to do it differently in the future. 🙂 ❤
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That was excellent advice, Marcia, and great to keep in mind when things aren’t going as planned. I need to remember this when I’m stressing about dog hair and a burned cassarole. 🙂
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Thanks, Diana! Yes, it’s pretty good advice, I think, because truly, how many of the things we stress out over every day turn out to be something impossible to live with? I suspect not too many, so it helps keep this all in perspective. Not that I never fail when trying to calm myself, but when I remember to ask this question, It happens much less frequently than it used to. (Or as someone very wise once said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s ALL small stuff, pretty much.” 😀 )
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I (almost) always do this. I forget, in the midst of things sometimes, to ask this question but, mostly, it’s a staple for me. A wise approach and great reminder, Marcia. ❤
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It’s surprisingly comforting, isn’t it? I always feel better when I know the end of the world isn’t coming that day, and I’ll be able to deal with whatever does. 😀 Glad to hear it works for you, too, Sarah! 🙂 ❤
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