Shifting the ‘What If’ Spiral

The week before I was set to sell my yoga studio, the pandemic hit. The buyer, understandably, ran for the hills—just like so many of us did in those uncertain days. I held on, paid what rent I could, and eventually had to close the doors. A once cash-flow-positive business was suddenly a memory—and a debt.

In the midst of that collapse, a new seed was forming: A+ Yoga. I started brainstorming, building, investing. But let me tell you—none of that was the hardest part.

The biggest challenge?
Not the financial investment.
Not creating content or launching.
Not the marketing.

The hardest part was shifting my mindset.

Shifting from:

“What if this fails?”
To:
“What if this works?”

It sounds simple, but it’s not. That inner voice—the one that warns, doubts, and catastrophizes—was loud. What if I only get one client a month?
But then I’d breathe and push back:
What if I have to hire someone because there are too many clients?

What if I just break even?
No—what if the bank account hits five digits after a year?

I had to practice flipping the thought. Repeating the new possibility until it became more familiar than the fear. That practice, like yoga, required repetition, patience, and compassion.

Even now, I still catch myself in old patterns. But now I notice them sooner. I pause. I meditate. I walk.

Yes, I walk.
And science backs up why that works.

A study from Stanford University found that walking, especially outdoors, boosts creative thinking and improves mood.
Other research from the University of Michigan showed that walking in nature can reduce rumination—the kind of negative thinking that loops in your head.
Even just 10–15 minutes of walking in a green space can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and shift your perspective.

The outside changes the inside.

So, here’s what I’ve learned—and maybe it’s for you, too:

• Negative “what ifs” are powerful. But positive “what ifs” are just as powerful—if you practice them.

• Fear is loud, but faith grows stronger the more you feed it.

• When in doubt, move your body. Move your mind. Get outside. Breathe.

• Your inner voice is trainable. Be patient and keep showing up.

And finally, if you’ve read this far, chances are you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve been there—or you’re there right now. The anxious nights, the rollercoaster between vision and fear.

Let me say it clearly: you are not alone.
You’re not crazy for dreaming, or for doubting.
You’re just human. And you’re doing your best.

So the next time your mind whispers, what if this fails?—try asking:
What if this is the thing that changes everything?

And walk forward, one step at a time.