Future Catastrophizing – Yikes!
There is convincing research that suggests that the greater proportion of our health issues can be attributed to our worrying about the future. Mark Twain said, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened”. Others have made humorous comments taking this quote and giving it a twist, saying worry must work because when I worry about bad things happening in the future – they normally never do! Even though that does tickle my funny bone, it is also sad. All that time wasted on worry can be captured to express gratitude or think inspiring thoughts or whatever other great things you can imagine. The cortisol that worry carries with it wrecks havoc in our body and many of today’s diseases are attributed to the cortisol that we have built up over the years through worry and stress. Future catastrophizing is one of the cognitive distorions that fuel anxiety and threat in our every day life. 
Choosing to tell ourselves the truth is fundamental to living life fully. When I future catastrophize, I am living in the 1% to 5% range of possibility. It is much more advantageous and truthful to live in the 95% chance that things will work out. Think about it. Is that something you need to consider changing through repeated practice in order to live fully? Go forth and be Wonderful!
