What’s the Worst That Can Happen?

“The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.” -Seneca Today, face a challenge head-on, not by avoiding it, but by imagining it clearly and courageously. Choose one significant situation that feels daunting or uncertain. Close your eyes and visualize all the ways it could go wrong. Let yourself explore each possibility, not to spiral into fear, but to prepare your mind for reality. Ask yourself, What is the worst that can happen? Most often, when we look that question in the eye, the power of fear begins to fade. The truth is, life rarely unfolds in extremes, its outcomes are seldom as catastrophic or as perfect as we imagine. They usually settle somewhere in the middle, where we can still act, adapt, and grow. The Stoics referred to this practice as Premeditatio Malorum, or the premeditation of adversity. It is not pessimism; it is preparation. When we imagine the worst, we disarm it. We begin to see potential solutions, even partial ones, and awaken our capacity to respond with calm and courage. We remember that no situation, no matter how heavy, defines our wholeness. Today, spend a few minutes visualizing your challenge from beginning to end. Ask: What is the worst that can happen? Then ask again: And if that happens, how will I meet it? Write down the strengths, resources, and choices available to you. Notice how clarity replaces dread. We cannot control what life brings, but we can control how we meet it. When you face the storm in your imagination, you discover that you were the calm all along.