Worst Case Scenario

Rather than let your imagination catastrophize – face the worst case scenario head on and remove its power over you.

In this exercise, you’ll peel back the realities of your worst case scenario coming true in order to accept every worry & what-if your mind has imagined. This helps you to:

Get so comfortable with the worst case scenario that you no longer fear it
Realize you can handle any possible outcome
Begin shifting out of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn
Regain your agency in the safety of the present moment
Discover alternate solutions, options, choices and resources that could be available to you along the way
Remember that every time something like this has happened in the past, you’ve been okay, you’ve always found a solution, and it’s rarely (if ever) turned out as badly as you imagined

Read through the 3-step process outlined below before beginning. You'll repeat the cycle as many times as needed (upwards of 5+ times at minimum) until you get to the absolute worst case scenario — this is often where you can uncover the root of your fear, and if you choose to, begin to alchemize it.

Step 1: Question

Bring your feared scenario to mind, and ask the question: if that happens, what would happen?

Step 2: Respond

Respond with a simple one line answer, not an avalanche of concerns. We’re looking for cause & effect — i.e. if X happens, then Y happens.

Step 3: Contemplate

After you answer the question, take a few moments to consider what the consequences of that happening would mean for you. Give your mind & body time to safely settle into that reality and really feel it as though it's true. Here are some questions to consider:

How does it make me feel?
Where do I feel it in my body?
What resources or options would be available to me at this point?
What decision(s) could I make from there?
How have I handled situations like this in the past (if applicable)?
Who (or what) could I lean on for support? (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially)
Why is this outcome creating unease in my body? Is it stemming from an inner child wound or shadow?

🔄 Repeat each step of the cycle based on your response from part two as many times as needed.

BONUS: “crash” into the best* case scenario

Once you finish the worst case scenario, consider imagining a best case scenario, or at least a more desirable scenario. There’s a phrase amongst race car drivers “if you’re about to crash, look where you want to go.” Your inputs on the steering wheel are led by your eyes so if you’re about to crash into a barrier, look to the open space next to the barrier, not at the barrier itself – because wherever you’re looking, is where you’re going (aka, energy goes where attention flows). So rather than focus on where you don’t want to go, let’s focus on where you do want to go. You'll naturally take the steps to head in that direction once you’ve identified it.

You can do this as written journal session or spoken aloud to yourself or with someone else. It’s also great to do while on a walk as physical movement can help you move the energy through your body and clear your mind.
Buddy system — this exercise requires complete & total honesty. It asks you to be truly vulnerable in expressing your worst fears. Sometimes that's easier with someone to hold you accountable and to help you process through it. So, if you have someone who knows you well & who you trust to help you through this, then ask them to join you. They can ask you the question each time, and help you contemplate the ways in which you could handle each reality.

pair with

Use these while you give it a go . . .

Walk

A simple, sacred act of movement that cleanses your energy, restores clarity & creativity, and grounds you back in to the present.

Binaural Beats

Tones that synchronize your brainwaves to help you access your subconscious, foster creativity, daydream, focus, learn, and more.

Somatic Movements

Somatic Breathing

dive deeper

Explore the topic further . . .

The Surrender Experiment

Memoir from the author of "The Untethered Soul" about his personal journey into life's perfection — embracing life’s flow by letting go of personal control and surrendering to what unfolds.

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Reprogram Your Subconscious

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Inner Child

Care for “little you” by giving them space to be heard, felt, and nurtured in the ways you needed as a child — then gently reparent, so together you can begin to restore a sense of safety and love.