I came home today to a letter from my insurance company telling me they were not renewing part of my policy. I didn't panic, but I was concerned. I called the agent to ask exactly what this meant.
While talking to her, I noticed page four of the packet, that told me they were offering alternative coverage. It will cost 75% more than the old coverage, but still. Perhaps they could have put this on page one instead of hidden in the back!
Here's where OCD kicked in. The nice lady at the insurance agency said she'd look into the details of what happened and get back to me tomorrow. I of course thought up all kinds of scenarios where somehow my policy DOES get cancelled as a result of this conversation. I fretted a while.
Then I thought to myself, what evidence do you have that this worst case scenario will happen. Fact is, I have NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER.
Now, I know this kind of thinking can turn into a compulsion, where I suddenly spend hours contemplating evidence and probabilities. But in this case, I was able to think back to all the times I wasted hours, days, WEEKS of time worrying about things that I had no reason to believe would ever happen. I'm letting this one go.
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You are stronger than you think!
7 months ago
Good for you! I'm glad you're able to let it go. It's not easy, I know.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow - this sounds like a tough one. I'm glad you recognized all of the time that has been wasted by OCD. It's sobering when you realize how much of your life OCD can consume.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, you're doing awesome!
My therapist gave me a worksheet to use to help me examine the evidence. I think it is on the cognitive side of CBT, and, like you said, as long as it doesn't become a new compulsion, it can be helpful. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I should apply it to my own scarey mail...
ReplyDeleteI can relate! I had a really bad experience with a customer the other day that consisted of her accusing me of irritating her eyes and confusing her (I was trying to teach her how to put on eye makeup). There was no evidence at all that she was a secret shopper, but in the world of retail, secret shoppers determine a store's success. We get two a month, and because a bad "shop score" from a shopper can be really bad for the company, my mind immediately clung to the worst case scenario. "This woman must be a secret shopper because that's the worst thing that could possibly happen and I obviously would get the store a bad score because that's just something that would happen to me, and then all my coworkers will be mad at me because they won't get their bonuses." Cue the unnecessary worrying.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I had absolutely no evidence to support my worst fears (this is a sentence I find I can apply to many aspects of my life now!); in fact I had evidence to negate them! I'm glad the both of us have come to the conclusion that worrying about this is a waste of time, and that we can see it for what it is: OCD rearing its ugly head once more. I find it comforting when I'm beginning to obsess about something, to think of the well-circulated statement that goes: "99% of the things you worry about won't happen." Thanks for sharing your experience!
Good for you for "letting this one go." As you say, why give the OCD any more of your valuable time?
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