What If...?
Your brain keeps saying, “What if something goes wrong tomorrow?” What kind of thought is this?
A worry thought about something that might happen in the future.
Can you control what another person thinks about you?
No. You can control how you treat them and how you respond.
True or false: Just because you think something bad might happen, that means it will happen.
False
Name one sign that might tell you anxiety is showing up in your body.
A tight stomach, fast heartbeat, sweaty hands, tense muscles, or racing thoughts.
What is the purpose of your worry box?
To give worries a place to be written down or set aside rather than thinking about them all day.
Your brain says, “What if my friend gets mad at me?” Does having this thought mean your friend will get mad?
No. A thought is not a prediction or a fact.
You have a test tomorrow. Name one thing you can control and one thing you cannot control.
I can control how I prepare. I cannot completely control what questions are on the test or what grade I get.
Your stomach feels nervous before a presentation. Does that prove something bad will happen?
No. Anxiety can create uncomfortable body sensations without meaning something bad will happen.
You notice a worry popping into your mind while you are playing a game. Do you have to make the worry disappear before you can keep playing?
No. I can notice the worry and keep playing even if I still feel anxious.
You put a worry in your worry box, but it pops back into your mind. Does that mean you failed?
No. Worries can return. I can notice the thought and choose where to focus my attention again.
You keep imagining all the things that could go wrong on a school trip. What could you tell yourself instead of trying to figure out every possible outcome?
I don't know exactly what will happen, and I can handle things as they come.
You are worried that your parent might be upset when they get home. What is outside your control, and what is within your control?
: Their mood is outside my control. How I respond and what I choose to do are within my control.
Your friend has not answered your message. Your brain says, “They must be mad at me.” What do you actually know for sure?
My friend has not answered yet. I do not know why.
You ask your parent if everything is okay. They answer, but a minute later you feel the urge to ask again. What skill could you practice?
Notice the urge to ask again, allow the uncomfortable feeling, and practice not repeating the question.
You are stuck thinking about an upcoming event and want to shift your attention. Name two things you could do to redirect your mind.
Play a game, talk about another topic, listen to music, do a puzzle, read, or focus on an activity around me.
Your brain keeps asking “What if?” questions, and you feel like you must answer every single one before moving on. What could you practice doing instead?
Your brain keeps asking “What if?” questions, and you feel like you must answer every single one before moving on. What could you practice doing instead?
You have done what you can to prepare for something, but you are still worried because you cannot guarantee the outcome. What is the next step?
Accept that some things are uncertain and focus on what I can do now.
Your brain tells you the same scary possibility over and over. Does repeating a thought make it more likely to be true?
No. Repetition does not turn a worry into a fact.
You are anxious, and your brain wants you to check, ask questions, or avoid an activity so you can feel better immediately. What could riding the worry wave look like?
Let the anxious feeling be there without doing the usual worry-driven behavior, and continue with the activity when it is safe to do so.
You have tried your coping skills, but you still feel worried. What does that mean, and what can you do next?
It does not mean the skills failed. I can allow the worry to be there and keep doing something meaningful even without feeling completely calm.