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Fear & Anxiety

Run It to the Worst Case

Walk a fear all the way to its worst end and let the fear of it run out.

In the moment2 min sessionFear & Anxiety

Why this helps

Fear keeps its power by staying vague and being fled; avoidance quietly feeds it.

In the moment

A fully faced fear flattens and loses its grip.

Over time

Fewer "what ifs" hold power over you.

The practice

Fear keeps its power by staying vague and by being fled. So instead of running from it, you walk straight toward it — follow the "what if" all the way to the worst thing you can imagine, and stay there, letting the fear of that run out. A fear that's fully faced has nowhere left to go.

Read the steps first

"If we contemplate the worst scenario, the fear will run out." — Hawkins, Letting Go.

When to use it

  • "What if" loops that won't quit
  • Health, money, or future anxiety
  • A specific dread you keep avoiding

Instructions

  1. Name the fear plainly: "I'm afraid that…"
  2. Ask "and then what?" — follow it to the worst case.
  3. Stop running. Let yourself feel the fear of that fully.
  4. Stay until the charge runs out and the scenario loses its grip.

Related focus areas

Guilt, forgiveness, and interpersonal triggers - guided toolkits that use this technique.

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