I think it’s fair to provide an update to yesterday’s post. The mechanic found a nail in my tire, patched it up, and I was good to go —for $27.44.
And, as a side bonus, before they looked at my deflating tire, they offered the possibility of a used tire, if the tire on my car couldn’t be saved, for $50. (A new tire costs $150 plus.)
I meant every damn word I said yesterday, about those of us who are circling the edge … some might say circling the drain … working hard every day, but most days it doesn’t seem like enough. (Of course you’ve noticed that the price of EVERYTHING keeps going up, except wages.)
But my post today is about catastrophizing, AKA cognitive distortion. If you’re not familiar with this little gem, the definition is: Thinking the worst possible outcome will occur in a situation or due to a choice one makes, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
Catastrophizing is one of my personal favorite go-tos: assuming the worst is going to happen. Like the Girl Scout I once was: Always “Be prepared.” And sadly, that’s what I did with the tire, but not in a good way. I assumed that whatever was going on with that tire was going to be the cause of my ultimate demise. Seriously. It felt just like that.
“If you’re catastrophizing, you may be worried about a disastrous outcome with little reason or facts,” says Psych Central. “Catastrophizing can start as a small thought and then rapidly escalate.”
Those of you who read my Day #3 post are familiar with my wise daughter Ainsley. Turns out she also has wise friends.
Earlier this week, Ainsley’s daughter R. woke her in the morning saying “My lip feels funny.” Half of R.’s face was swollen, apparently from a bug bite.
Ainsley called a friend to come over and stay with her son T, who was still asleep, so she could take R. to urgent care. Because Ainsley also tends to be a catastrophizer (thanks, Mom), her worry started to grow to panic. (I’ll admit, it looked pretty scary.)
Ainsley’s friend, K., calmed her down by telling her, “You don’t have enough information to panic about that yet.” I absolutely LOVE that advice! And it worked, Ainsley said.
Not that I’ll necessarily remember the next time I start catastrophizing, but I’m going to practice that line — Girl Scout Promise! — because it fits every situation.
“You don’t have enough information to panic about that yet.”
I’ll let you know if it helps.
And thank you, K.
YSM | ink 