Even IF

 I wanted to explain the title of this blog a bit.....

My anxious heart often leads me to ask "What if?" This short and simple question can literally take my mind to a fully panic mode which is a very uncomfortable place to be. Although I am not currently seeing a therapist, I have taken one of my therapists' advice to heart, and use it on a daily basis.

She taught me to change those "What if?" thoughts to "Even If" thoughts. For some reason it stops me from getting out of control with my thoughts. What if seems to allow for any ridiculous scenario where the "Even If" thought keeps me a bit more grounded. Obviously certain thoughts are scary with either phrase, but most of the time, if I remember use even if, my brain searches for solutions instead of problems.

For example, I often find myself thinking "What if they don't like me?" I can then turn that into, "Even if they don't like me, I know I am kind, and I have many people who love me."

I have even been able to use it in a more challenging situation. "What if my baby gets Whooping Cough or some other terrible illness?" This is an example of how the Even if thought doesn't solve the problem, but does help me search for solutions instead of resorting to panic. I can tell myself, "Even if my baby gets really sick, we live in a country with great doctors and medicine and I have a great support network that will help me get through emotionally."

This is just one of many tools I use to calm my anxious heart and I hope someone else will find it helpful.