The Caring Counselor

Working as a therapist, I hear my clients talk a lot about “what if.” This questions serves as a primary perpetrator of anxiety. But that’s just it. Anxiety is the fear of the unknown. The answer to “what if” will likely always be just that – unknown.

It is so easy to get on the “what if” train to what-ifs-ville. You can “what if” yourself to death. That trail is never-ending though. It is so easy to find yourself asking that question, envisioning a scenario, and throwing another “what if” on top of that one. As a result, you are stuck in the cycle. Going down that road only leads to uncertainty and chaos. Feel free to drive yourself bonkers.

Instead, focus on “what is.” Look at the present. Peer at what is in the immediate foreground. These items you can view with certainty. There they are in front of us in our objective, factual reality. There is no need to question what we already know. This provides us with a sense of control. It allows us to make informed decisions rather than off unbridled speculation. Rather than going off in infinite directions, the reality points us towards one finite destination.

-The Caring Counselor