E-Newsletter
March/April 2002
Probability Versus Possibility
 Joshua, imagine you are sitting in the airport. You are just about to board the plane to go on the vacation of a lifetime. You have planned this vacation for months and you desperately need it. You want to feel excited about the trip but instead you find yourself conjuring up an extensive "what if" list.
- What if something happens to my children while I'm away?
- What if my neighbor forgets to feed the cat?
- What if the plane crashes?
After mentally creating your list, you ask yourself: "Is it possible that these things will happen?" The answer is yes - of course it's possible. All things are possible.
Anything can happen.
That's why when we think about the unlimited possibilities of what might go wrong in any given situation, an enormous amount of anxiety can set in. Suddenly you notice that you are no longer looking forward to your trip; instead, you are looking for the nearest exit.
The good news is that all you need to do to regain your inner peace is to change the question. Instead of asking "Is it possible?" shift the question to "Is it probable?"In other words, ask yourself "Is it likely that what I'm worried about will happen?"
By simply changing the focus of the question from possibility to probability, you will gain a better perspective. In fact, many people have found that the act alone of rating the probability has helped them to eliminate anxiety.
You can try it for yourself.
Step One: Write down one thing that you are worried might happen.
Step Two: Rate the probability of it actually happening on a scale of 1 to 10.
(1=least likely to happen; 10=most likely to happen.)
Did you rate your worry a 5 or less? That’s a pretty good indication that what you are worried about will not happen.
Did you rate your worry a 9 or less? That’s okay too. In fact, studies have shown that 92% of what we worry about will not happen and only 8% are legitimate concerns. That means that even if you rated the probability at a 9, there's a good chance that what you are worried about is still not going to occur.
Did you rate your worry a 10? You feel that what you are worried about is extremely likely to happen. There is hope; next month I will reveal a worry-management strategy that will help you let go of worry - even those with a 10 rating!
In the meantime, when "what if" thoughts take over your thinking remember to change the question from "Is it possible?" to "Is it probable?" ©2002 Denise Marek
"A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work."
John Lubbock
Do you know someone who could benefit from the Life by Design E-Newsletter? All you need to do to sign up is go to www.denisemarek.com and click on the "Sign-Up" logo. It's simple and it's free!
Joshua, thank you for taking the time to read our first e-newsletter. If you have any questions, please email me at denise@denisemarek.com or give me a call toll-free at 877-553-7397. In the meantime, keep well and have a worry-free day!
Sincerely,
Denise Marek
Life by Design
www.denisemarek.com
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