Shifting from 'What If' to 'What Is'
Manage episode 406222571 series 3402192
***If you haven't listened to our last episode - "Looking at High School through a Neurodivergent Lens" - we recommend checking that out first!***
It's SO easy to get caught up in the "what ifs" of life. As parents, we can easily fall into this trap not just with ourselves, but with our children as well.
~ What if they don't pass that class?
~ What if they don't get into a good college?
~ What if they don't get a well-paying job and struggle to make ends meet?
As common and valid as these fears are, focusing on the negative "What Ifs" adds an extra layer of pressure and stress. For some of us, it can even send us into a spiral of anxiety and depression. It can easily happen to us and our teens.
So, how do we shift this focus?
By following up your "What Ifs" with "Why?"
~ Why am I afraid of them not passing that class?
~ Why do I believe getting into a good college is the only/correct path?
~ Why do I feel like a well-paying job will = success/happiness for my child?
Then, once you've come up with answers, ask yourself "Why?" again. And again. And again. Channel your inner toddler and keep asking yourself the same question. The answers you come to will start to shift your focus from What Ifs to What Is.
Once you move away from the 'what ifs' and focus on the 'what is', that's when shift happens! Tune into this week's episode to learn more about what we mean.
If your teenage daughter is struggling with achieving all the "normal" high school things, this is an episode for you!
Music composed and produced by:
Ben Tackett
42 episodes