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INVESTIGATE THE FACTS :
Remember , both fear and anxiety are very imaginative . The stories they tell can be over-the-top . Be a detective and look for the evidence . For example , if Neighbor Nan didn ’ t invite you to her party , could there be a valid reason that has nothing to do with her suddenly hating you ? More often than not , you won ’ t find any shred of evidence to back up your anxiety- and fear-driven stories . And if you do find that there was some truth , it ’ s probably nowhere close to as dire as what your imagination would have you believe .
Here ’ s an example of how this has played out in my life : Perhaps my tumors grew a little between scans , but did they multiply like horny bunnies ? No . Have they ever ? No . So what ’ s the chance they will this time ? The facts after 20 years of living with cancer are pretty consistent . But in times of high stress , my imagination still needs to be reminded .
Humor disarms us .
It breaks the tension , creating some distance between us and the unhelpful thoughts that threaten to consume us . It can even make us smile , God forbid .
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO PONDER AS YOU INVESTIGATE THE FACTS :
Do you know for certain that the scary movie you ’ re playing in your mind will happen ? Is there evidence to the contrary ? Or is there someone you can call to verify facts ? Could variables such as timing be in play ? Or perhaps there is a more benign reason for what you ’ ve observed ( for example , the tumor in my arm that turned out to not be cancerous )? And if the worst-case scenario did happen , could you handle it ? How have you been able to handle difficult situations successfully in the past ?
WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH
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