You guys know I am big on visualization for racing. It never occurred to me to apply it to other aspects of my life, specifically, my anxiety. Duh.
Let me back track a bit.
When I was reading Chrissie Wellington’s book, I thought it was really smart how part of her race visualization process was visualizing things that might go wrong (along with visualizing success). She thought about getting a flat tire on the course, and the motions she’d go through to fix it. She thought about needing to go to the bathroom, and how she’d handle that. And so on. Shortly after reading that, I listened to a podcast with elite runner Cory McGee and she mentioned doing the same thing. She thought about how she’d recover from a fall in a track race, or getting pushed around (okay, it was so long ago I don’t remember what her examples were so I made those up, ha!).
So, worst case scenario visualization. Pretty smart, huh?! I normally do best case scenario visualization, which I think is extremely valuable, but now I’d add things like falling or needing to go #2, etc., to my worst case scenario visualization.
I’ve been thinking about this for a few months but haven’t shared it because I am not doing any visualization, as I am not racing any time soon.
But I just realized I inadvertently did this with my snis last weekend, for something I am personally anxious about. And it helped!
Not sure if you’ve heard, but the Rolling Stones concert we have tickets to in June was postponed so Mick Jagger could have heart valve replacement surgery (he had it done and it went well, yay!). I was having major anxiety about the rescheduling of the concert – that it would be rescheduled for the only other time I have something going on this summer (RAGBRAI).
I was telling my snis this, and she said “If it was that weekend, what would you do?” And I told her I’d try as hard as I could to still go to the concert. We talked about what that would entail, logistically, and she said “I think you should just plan for that!”
Oh em gee, that is so smart (<— not being sarcastic)! Why don’t I, wow, actually plan for how I’d make it work if the concert is during the time I will be on vacation in Iowa, instead of just worrying it will be then? DUH DUH DUH Kim.
So yeah, worst case scenario visualization/planning, in real life! Now I just need to remember to do it!
That’s brilliant! So…after you thought about what you would do if the worst case scenario actually happens, did it lessen your anxiety?
It really did! And I think having her listen and be compassionate really helped too 🙂 <3
I think tackling stuff like that head on (i.e. making a plan) really helps with anxiety unfortunately i tend to ignore the stuff I’m anxious about lol. I’m gonna take a leaf from your book.
It’s much easier to ignore, right? I hope this helps you too. It’s so simple but it was a big “A HA” moment for me!
Wow, this is so smart! I do the visualization for good things, like you said, but I’ve never really thought about it for pre-planning for bad things.
It’s crazy it’s not talked about to do this more, right? I see stuff all the time about visualization, but it’s always about having a positive experience!
Ha, this is a “duh” moment for me too! I’m glad you have a plan for the concert being rescheduled, but I hope you don’t have to employ it.
I don’t visualize the best case scenario because it always feels fake to me. I think this is one of the times that I need to “fake it until you make it” (or do it until it feels real!).
I hope I don’t have to either!
If it feels fake to you, it might never work! I think you need to buy in. It works well for me for running, but I don’t visualize myself at work or getting through annoying personality situations. Ha. Maybe I should!
Every now and again BuzzFeed will do a “*number* Tips to Help You Deal with Anxiety” article, and I always read them because I’ll take whatever tips I can get, ha. I’ve seen on those lists a couple of times the idea of visualizing worst case scenarios, and though it seems counterintuitive, it can be really helpful! So much anxiety stems from uncertainty, so if you can eliminate some of that uncertainty by thinking through what you would do if the worst were to happen, it makes a big difference! I think it also helps to put a name on what the worst case scenario would be, rather than worrying about this nebulous “bad outcome” that you can’t really verbalize.
Ahh, awesome! See, BuzzFeed has some good stuff, peeps! (I mostly like BuzzFeed, lol). I need to start reading those if I see them (send me one if you do, please) because I obviously could not figure this out on my own, and they recommended it over and over! I really struggle with uncertainty. That is a lot of my work stress, actually!
Yes! I learned about this visualization exercise in therapy because one of my biggest sources of anxiety is my mom dying, so I’m constantly worried about something terrible happening to her. My therapist had me work through the visualization of it happening and what I would do, and recognizing that I would be okay. I would get through it. So I often have to challenge my thinking when I start downward spiraling about something and think, “What’s the worst thing that would happen? And would you survive it?” The answer is ALWAYS yes.
I also have social anxiety, so I worry a lot about events and doing new things because I’m not certain about the logistics of a thing and that makes me anxious. So I also do a lot of future planning/worst-case scenario planning for stuff like, how am I going to get to this place? Where will I park? What will I do if there’s no parking? etc. It’s… exhausting at times, haha, but it’s just the way my brain operates! I’m learning to accept that.
I am so glad I shared this because you guys sharing where you’ve heard about it and how it’s helped you makes me feel more committed to trying it when I am feeling anxious. Your therapist sounds fab, btw! I am glad she could help you think through that fear and give you tools to stop the downward spiral!
That is just how you are so if you have to spend extra time planning those scenarios out, so be it! I get anxious about logistics too, and it’s HARD not to get all worked up (that was a huge stress of this concert – where will we park?!). So why not have a Plan B?!?!