Recently I was listening to a podcast where the guy being interviewed shared a story of a conversation he had with his wife. Their neighborhood was changing significantly from how it was when they moved there. And they were worried about their children not living close enough to nature. So casually, his wife asked,
“Do you think we should move?”
Within seconds, in his mind, this man went from selling his house, to selling his car because his commute would change, to getting a tractor to mow the lawn of the new farm they would buy. Some of us have brains that ask questions. And some of us have brains that immediately think through the details of their possible answers.
Similarly, some of us are in a perpetual state of “What if?” While for others of us, it is a state of mind we only visit a couple of times a month, and when big life events are looming. Either way, we all know the fear, the worry, and the angst of “What if.”
With this in mind, on the blog this month, I am sharing some stories of how “What if” has played out in my life, as well as some important perspectives that are helping me move through these questions with more courage and confidence. As we haven’t had a Love Learn Lead post in a while, I thought I would share a few resources and thoughts along the lines of these, “What if” questions we ask in our lives. Enjoy!
Love
As I said before, there are those of us who can have “What if” questions about almost everything. But one of the times in life where we all have “What if” questions, is when we have to make a big decision. Or, we’re feeling stuck or stagnant, and we need to decide to do something hard to help get us unstuck. When I am in those places, there are seven things I’ve learned to do that help me get unstuck. And all of them are in my Making Changes Checklist, a resource I give to my email subscribers for free!
So, if you’re not a subscriber, sign up here. And if you’re a subscriber and the email with your copy of the checklist is way down in the depths of your inbox, just respond to my latest email and I will send you a new copy personally!
What things do you do when faced with a hard decision?
Could you use another step or two to help you find clarity?
Learn
Whenever I hear a “What if” question, a mild feeling of panic sweeps through me. Why? Because similar to that man in the podcast, I am a very detailed person. A “What If” question can feel to me like an algebraic equation. If I’m not careful, it becomes a problem I think I have to solve.
But recently, I realized that, “What if” can also offer us a world of possibility. As a baker, this has played out by me trying to change some of my favorite recipes into gluten free and processed sugar free creations (for why, check out “How I Gave Up Sugar”).
By asking: “What if I use maple syrup instead of brown sugar?” I’ve come up with a crumble topping for amazing fruit crisps all harvest season long. By asking “What if I use maple syrup instead of white sugar?” I’ve found both the simplest and most delicious whip cream recipe.
“What if” enables us to think outside our normal way of doing things. Sure, as we are going to talk about all month long, this can mean taking on some scary risks. But it can also be a way of using our imagination for good instead of worry.
What if we used these two little words to imagine wonderful outcomes rather than bad ones?
What good things may be possible?
Lead
Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
What would happen if we began to look at our “What if” questions like the hypothesis of an experiment?
Are you in the midst of making a decision? Contemplating a life change? If so, you may be interested in my FREE Making Changes Checklist that I give to all my email friends. Want your free copy? subscribe here.
Photo by Alexandra Golovac on Unsplash
