132: The Cognitive Relief of a Plan-B as You Age

Anticipation (positive or negative) plays all kinds of mental games with us as we age.

One moment you're feeling mighty fine and in the next moment a physical twinge or a hitch in your lifestyle signals an uh-oh moment.

Could be nothing, but then your mind opens the door to catastrophizing — the overwhelming sense that things can only get worse.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with worst-case scenario thinking because it can actually kick you into a helpful survival mode.

Once you're in survival mode, you're set for solutions instead of catastrophe.

Think of worst-case scenarios as advanced preparation or a plan-b for what may or may not happen. But if it does, you're ready!

And ready is way better than being naive or caught off guard.

The power of a plan-b is its capability to focus your attention on viable solutions instead of negative outcomes

I like to assess my circumstances instead of defaulting to freak-out mode whenever a set-back occurs or is rapidly approaching. I prefer to ask myself, "what's really happening?," and "what are my options?"

The options in mind could be an actual plan-b or the makings of what might be the first step out of the situation.

Plan-b thinking works because it triggers a resource assessment before your resourcefulness is necessary.

Plan-b alternatives give you solution-based options you can deploy when necessary.

• Less catastrophizing — more discovery.
• Less panic — more calm.
• Less effort — more energy.

Less catastrophizing — more discovery

How much real catastrophe has occurred in your life? I'm not minimizing or underestimating the painful or precarious positions you've been in, but consider how many of them could be realistically defined as catastrophic.

When you catastrophize, you're inventing outcomes without the confirmation that they will occur. Catastrophizing includes triggering thoughts of what seems inevitable, intolerable, or invasive. What looks like a boogey-man hiding in the shadows to take you out is often nothing more a mere shadow.

Instead of inventing worst-case scenarios, accept that bad things do indeed happen. Even so, you can flip the script and anticipate an unfavorable circumstance while discovering alternative paths around, over, or through the potentially disastrous outcome — notice I said, "potential" not "actual" outcome.

Less panic — more calm

A plan-b gives you less cause to panic and more reason to remain calm.

Advanced reflection and preparation on how you'll face a worst-case scenario helps ease whatever anxiety you might have as a result of encountering the scenario.

In advance of what you anticipate being an anxiety producing situation, ask yourself:

• "What has to occur for the situation to get out of hand?"
• "How will I know when things are headed south?"
• "Where is the next available exit I can take to avoid the situation?"

Panic is a reactive response. Calm is proactive initiative.

Which would you rather choose when you sense a worst-case scenario approaching?

Less effort — more energy

You can spend your life giving your attention to how bad things are or how bad they can become. And worse, when you actually encounter a challenging scenario, you'll have spent your available emotional energy on "what ifs."

A "what if" does have an initial benefit because it compels you to apply some plan-b thinking. But dwelling too long on the "what ifs" will deplete your reserves leaving you with nothing but to accept the inevitable outcome.

Discover energy through advanced planning, envisioning acceptable outcomes, and anticipating what's next.

I'm no physicist, but the first law of thermodynamics (the cliff-notes version as I understand it) confirms that energy isn't lost, it moves somewhere else. That's all the more reason to maintain your energy and not expend it with too much effort on the "what ifs."

So, the question for today and those that follow: what's your plan-b?

Make sure yours includes

• less catastrophizing — more discovery,
• less panic — more calm, and
• less effort — more energy.

Press on...

Eddie