The "What If" Wizard

Once upon a time, in a bustling town called Possibleville, there lived a young girl named Maya. Maya had a vivid imagination, but sometimes it led her to worry about all sorts of things. She often found herself asking, "What if...?" before trying anything new.

One day, while walking through the park, Maya stumbled upon a peculiar sight: a tiny door at the base of an old oak tree. Curious, she knocked.

To her surprise, the door creaked open, revealing a small, jolly man with a twinkle in his eye. He wore a pointed hat covered in question marks.

"Welcome!" he exclaimed. "I'm the What If Wizard. I hear you're quite fond of asking 'What if...?'"

Maya nodded shyly.

The wizard chuckled. "Well, my dear, I have a magical gift for you." He handed her a shimmering pair of glasses. "These are the 'What If' Specs. They show you two possible futures whenever you ask 'What if...?'"

Maya put them on and immediately blurted, "What if I try out for the school play?"

Suddenly, two bubble-like visions appeared:

In one, she saw herself forgetting her lines and feeling embarrassed. But in the other, she saw herself beaming on stage, taking a bow as the audience cheered.

"You see," said the wizard, "there's always more than one 'what if.' Why not focus on the good ones?"

From that day on, Maya wore her 'What If' Specs whenever she felt worried. She learned to imagine positive outcomes alongside her concerns. Soon, she found herself trying new things and having wonderful adventures.

As Maya grew more confident, she realized she didn't need the glasses anymore. The What If Wizard had taught her to see the bright possibilities all on her own.

And so, Maya's 'what ifs' became exciting rather than scary, turning her worries into windows of opportunity.

This story aims to address anxiety in a gentle, imaginative way by acknowledging the tendency to worry about negative outcomes while encouraging the consideration of positive possibilities.

The story doesn't look to stigmatise anxiety or label it as a character flaw. Instead, it presents Maya's tendency to worry as a common experience that can be reframed with a shift in perspective. The 'What If' Specs serve as a metaphor for learning to balance concerns with positive possibilities.

By the end, Maya has developed the skill to see multiple outcomes on her own, which represents personal growth and increased resilience. This approach avoids portraying anxiety as simply a lack of confidence or low status, focusing instead on developing a more balanced thought process.

The story of Maya and the What If Wizard attempts to do just that - it takes the concept of cognitive reframing (a technique often used in cognitive behavioural therapy) and presents it in a magical, imaginative and easy-to- relate-to format.

By personifying the "what if" thoughts as a wizard and using the metaphor of the special glasses, the story makes the abstract concept of changing thought patterns more concrete and understandable for readers.

This approach can help young people:

1.      Recognise the "what if" pattern in their own thoughts

2.      Understand that this pattern is common and not something to be ashamed of

3.      Learn that there are usually multiple possible outcomes to any situation

4.      Practice imagining positive outcomes alongside their worries

5.      Develop the skill of balanced thinking over time

Stories like this can serve as excellent conversation starters, allowing parents, teachers, or counsellors to discuss anxiety and coping strategies with children in a non-threatening way. They provide a shared reference point and vocabulary that can make it easier to talk about complex emotional experiences.

If you resonate with the ‘Great Big What If’ pattern of thinking, then practice imagining positive outcomes to increase levels of confidence and self-assuredness.

The ‘Great Big What If’ is a pattern of behaviour that is covered in Andrew Austin’s Integral Eye Movement Therapy.