Ep 241. Transforming "What If" Thoughts Into "What Is" Grounding Exercise
Not Another Anxiety Show
Kelli Walker
4.8 • 655 Ratings
🗓️ 20 June 2022
⏱️ 6 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Join Kelli as she shares a way to transform anxiety-inducing "what if" thoughts into a "what is" grounding exercise. If we're human, we're going to get bombarded by "what if" thoughts, so why not use those anxious thoughts as an opportunity to rewire our brain for more awareness, flexibility, and ease?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey guys, welcome to not another anxiety show. I'm your host, Kelly Walker, and today it's yours |
| 0:18.0 | truly sharing a short and sweet technique to work with those pesky what-if thoughts. |
| 0:24.7 | Now, full disclosure, I'm adopting this exercise from Corey Mascara, who is a former monk and co-founder of mindfulness.com, as well as a psychology instructor at UPenn. |
| 0:38.0 | So, if we're human, there's going to be moments when we get bombarded with what if thoughts, |
| 0:48.0 | especially, and it almost feels like a cruel chick, but especially when we're feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious. |
| 0:56.9 | These what if thoughts get louder and more notorious because our brain is in that threat |
| 1:02.1 | detection mode. So we might get hit with what if thoughts like, what if they don't like me |
| 1:08.9 | at the party? What if I fail? What if I mess up at work? What if I get |
| 1:13.9 | sick? What if I'm going crazy? And my personal favorite, what if I can't find a bathroom and |
| 1:22.1 | poop my pants? Now, sometimes the what if mind is helpful, right? |
| 1:29.8 | It helps us plan. |
| 1:31.0 | It helps us think about the future and take necessary action as well as prepare. |
| 1:38.0 | But a lot of times that what if mind, it's just excess unhelpful chatter that isn't supporting or serving us and i think |
| 1:48.6 | we actually did um a previous episode about this one way to work with what if thoughts are hey is this |
| 1:56.4 | is this thought serving me is this thought supporting me or helping me? |
| 2:02.3 | Or has it crossed the line to worry and rumination? |
| 2:08.4 | But yeah, this one's a little bit different. |
| 2:10.8 | So when we have those pesky what it thoughts, time try acknowledging them whatever they might be for you |
| 2:21.2 | right it's it's different for each of us but next time you're noticing those what if thoughts |
| 2:25.5 | try acknowledging them and noticing what is what is here right now? What can you see? |
| 2:35.0 | What can you feel in your body? |
| 2:37.0 | As long as those bodily sensations aren't too triggering or overwhelming. |
... |
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