Let's Play the What If Game

By Leigh on October 11, 2010 9:52 PM

This is "me" picturing "me" as Wonder Woman. I remember as a little girl how special I felt wearing the "Wonder Woman bathing suit". I felt like I was the coolest cat around. Those super "powerful feeling" days were few and far between while I was growing up. I was one of the "What If Girls" Thinking everything was always going to go wrong (sometimes it seemed like it was true). Let me explain.

One of the funniest conversations to over hear between a child and a parent is the "What if Game". One time I was listening to a conversation between a dad and a little boy. The little boy was completely overcome by sadness and frustration. He had been jumping on a trampoline and his dad told him that he had to get off and go to bed. The boy was convinced that the trampoline was not going to be there in the morning. The conversation was totally funny because the boy was completely out of touch with reality. He was convinced that there was a chance that the trampoline would not be there in the morning. The dad was fried with exhaustion trying to convince him that indeed the trampoline would be there in the morning.

I think about that conversation with a smile from time to time. .

I too have played the "What If" game many times myself. Usually my "What If's" are worries about things I think could happen or that I should possibly prepare for. Most of which never happen or even come close to happening.

I think I have a tendency to be this way because I grew up in a household where a lot of unexpected things did happen. I think I figured that things would never stop going wrong. As a young adult I sought counselling to try and "move on" from my past. Over the years I recovered nicely. But the big bad "What ifs" still lurk in my psyche and it is the most difficult thought to re-train.

I read a book many years ago, I think it was called "From Panic to Power" and the author talks about how you can change the "What if Game" into a positive exercise.

It goes like this - You start to think a "What If" of a negative sort but then you change the thought and say "What if I become successful" , "What if I can make it through the next few months" "What If I can have another baby" etc. It can really change your perspective..... you all of sudden start seeing yourself happy, successful, etc. Lately I have been trying to do that more. Some days I feel like Wonder Woman. Now I must get a pair of red boots to celebrate....