Stop “What If” Worry Thoughts With Gratitude

April is Stress Awareness Month. A huge contributor to stress, worry, and anxiety are those pesky “what if” future-oriented thoughts.

They’re just thoughts. Yet they steal your joy. They’re not happening. Yet your body and emotions begin to react with stress as if they were happening.

A simple method to shut down those intrusive “what if” thoughts is to:

1. First, recognize that it is a “what if” future-oriented thought that is not happening now. The good thing about “what if” future-oriented worry thoughts is that they are so easy to recognize because they typically have the words “what if” in them!
2. Take one simple action to help alleviate that concern. For example, if taking a long road trip, if the “what if” thought is “What if I get lost while driving?” then plan the route and have a paper map in case of loss of cell service. Or, “What if my car breaks down?” Then have your car checked and serviced, and get AAA membership. Some “what if” thoughts are helpful and keep us safe. But there comes a point where continuing to think about it has no benefit and causes anxiety and steals your joy in living. It is so important to shut down because one worry thought leads to more, and they get stronger and spiral out of control if left unaddressed.
3. Focus on gratitude – one simple thought of gratitude to replace the “what if” thought. The “what if” thought might creep back in. Simply replace it with a different gratitude thought. Keep it simple.  For example, “I’m so grateful I get to go on this trip” and “I’m grateful for and looking forward to the music I’ll be listening to.”

When you replace a “what if” worry thought with a gratitude thought, you’re stopping that spiral. In addition, your brain releases dopamine, which elevates mood, and serotonin, which helps to relax your nervous system.

It might take some practice, but it’s worth your time and attention. “What if” worry thoughts steal joy. Gratitude enhances joy!