The Fear of “What If?”

  This morning as I am getting myself ready to head out for my doctor’s appointment, a thought entered my mind about my past. I have been challenged with spinal issues for about two years now. About 18 months ago I had surgery on my neck and today I will find out whether my doctor will be recommending surgery for my back. I have been through about six months of physical therapy and I have also had a couple of epidural injections and the symptoms keep returning. So today my spine specialist will tell me whether he feels we have done all we could conservatively and now it is time for surgery.

  There was a point in my life not too long ago when I would have been pacing the floor before an appointment such as this one. Some of the thoughts racing through my mind would look something like this:

  Does this sound familiar? Have you ever obsessed over situations that were not in your control? Did you fall victim to the “what ifs?”

Where Did The Fear Go?

  One day it just dawned on me! It was like someone flipped the light switch and I saw everything with intense clarity. I remember saying to myself, “I have always handled every one of life’s challenges that have come my way in the past and there isn’t any logical reason why that would change now.” Sure, some of life’s challenges brought with them more struggles than others and some were even unpleasant and yet I am still here and still kicking strong today.

  I have the above sentence posted up in my office to remind myself that yes, I am capable of handling it. Keeping that one thought in my mind has helped to keep my levels of fear to a minimum. You cannot control every aspect of your life (that is just the way life is), although you do have control over your response to what life brings your way.

 Do not underestimate your ability to to overcome and succeed. Do not allow your imagination to blow the situation out of proportion and make it into something it is not because that creates an open door for fear to walk through. Remind yourself of the positive things you have accomplished in your and keep those thoughts in the front of your mind.

Tell yourself:

  “I have always been able to handle all of life’s challenges in the past and there isn’t any reason to believe I can’t handle this challenge today.”

Slawek Polinski

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