How often do you catch yourself in the "what if" thinking pattern? What if things turn out to be different than what you hope or wish? What if something does not work out? What if I am being judged? What if I fail? It's a vicious cycle and pulls your energy down.
But WHAT IF the opposite was true
That this was like a coin and it had two sides? What if things turn out just as you hoped and wished or even much better? What if you did something that scared you at first and people loved what you did? What if the difficult conversation ended up in discovering brand new paths and more connection? What if you went to the audition and got called back or even better ... got the contract? What if you took action even when you did not feel like you were completely ready for it and it lead to opportunities you could not even have imagined possible?
You have a choice
YOUR choice
YOUR decision
Sometimes your choice is based on your past experiences of similar situations, where you needed to find your courage and just try. If the last such choice ended up with you not succeeding as expected or you got negative feedback, you are more likely to think of the rather negative side of the "what if coin".
Other times you might not have a past experience to refer to. Then the decision is based on your internal talk, a scaling of both sides of the "what if coin" ... or tossing the coin.
Either way, the choice remains yours. What if you looked at your past experiences as exactly what they are ... past experiences? Moments of growth and much learning, so you are better prepared for the next time. And in case you do not have a past experience yet, how about giving it a try and creating an experience?
What if it all worked out?
Try and fail, but never fail to try
This quote from Jared Leto summarizes the importance of seeing the positive side of the "what if coin". Dwelling in the what ifs of the negative side has the potential to suck you further down the spiral and you'll succeed in talking yourself out of trying.
What happens if you don't try? The story does not end there ... You'll probably end up entertaining the thought: What if I had tried? And this "what if" is a persistent one that can remain with you for years to come.
what if you tried, you faced the fear and took action?
With this decision a whole new sea of opportunities opens up. You have given yourself permission to grow and succeed, raise your level of confidence, create valuable experiences, learn. You have created the beginning of a new story, something you can feel proud of, share with others.
What's your choice? What if you believed that, regardless of what the outcome might be, everything always worked out for you?
Paula
Choosing to believe in the power of trying, the positive side of the "what if coin" takes courage
Join me on September 4th
in my free online workshop on
COURAGE
17 h CET / 11 am EST
Paula Naeff is the founder of TIM This Is Me and a facilitator for transformation.
She serves as coach for individual humans on their personal growth journey, businesses on their path to success and the dance community through confidence programs for dancers, teachers and entire schools.