"What If" Syndrome

Hi, my name is Laci and I suffer from the "what if" syndrome. I am well aware of this and how it affects me on a daily basis. Some of my "what ifs" lead me to make contingency plans and prepare for the worst case scenario. And some of my "what ifs" stop me in my tracks and steal life experiences from me.

What if my husband looses his job? What if my kids never go back to school? What if I get criticized? What if I get rejected? What if someone doesn't agree with me? What if I fail at my goal? What if no one wants to read what I am writing?

I assume that the antidote to this syndrome is to eliminate the "what ifs" altogether. Then last week, I heard about a book that got me thinking about an alternate way to tame the "what ifs".

A friend of mine, who is a consultant for Usborne Books, shared a "sneak peek" into a children's book on her private Facebook page. The book is titled "Jonathan James and the What If Monster" by Michelle Nelson Schmidt. In the book, Jonathan James does not try to get rid of the "what if monster". Instead, this super creative and smart kid took his "what ifs" and turned them from the negative to the positive.

What if my kids thrive and enjoy distance learning? What if my book gets published? What if someone likes and shares what I write? What if I inspire, motivate, or encourage one person? What if I find my passion, create a community and start a new career?

Jonathan James (and the author) is a genius! We don't actually need to eliminate the "what ifs". We instead need to turn these questions from monsters to friends so that our "what ifs" can serve us instead of stall us.

Question: Do you have "what if syndrome?" Perhaps, you have always had it or maybe the 2020 pandemic has brought up all these fears for you.

Action: Make a list of your biggest and most frequent "what ifs". Take your list and make notes to turn those "what ifs" from negative questions to positive questions.

If you want to see a video of my friend Meagan previewing the book that inspired my thoughts please visit my Facebook page @refuelbylacirichter/

If you are interested in buying this book or any other wonderful children's book you can use this link below to contact Meagan. https://k9592.myubam.com/

Title: Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster

Author: Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

Publisher: Kane Miller