In this episode, Cindy Esliger discusses the pattern of catastrophizing that keeps us stuck in inaction and blocks career opportunities before we even give ourselves a chance to succeed. Catastrophizing - the anxious thought patterns that only allow us to imagine the worst-case outcome of any situation - is an exhausting form of self-sabotage that is keeping us stuck in place. But it can be disrupted, and Cindy breaks down how to identify when we’re engaging in catastrophizing, and how we can learn to challenge those thoughts before they drag us down.
What does catastrophizing look like? Cindy identifies the five most common cognitive distortions that feed our spiraling: 1. Catastrophizing, 2. Magnification, 3. All or nothing thinking, 4. Overgeneralization, and 5. Blaming. These distortions keep us locked in a loop of stress and stalled momentum. How do we know if we’re falling into these patterns? Cindy offers five red flags to watch for: 1. Avoiding new opportunities, 2. Overpreparing or aiming for perfection, 3. Reacting emotionally to changes, 4. Looping negative thoughts, and 5. Discounting our wins.
Catastrophizing is anticipating the worst that could happen without ever considering a neutral or even positive outcome. We need to learn to break the cycle. Cindy suggests practical strategies like a thought audit, reframing the situation, experimenting with action, and tracking our growth. Negative thought patterns don’t make us weak; they make us human. But they are survival strategies that have overstayed their welcome. We may not consciously choose to spiral, but we can consciously choose to overcome catastrophizing with Cindy’s guidance.
Resources discussed in this episode:
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Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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