Picture a situation in English that gives you anxiety. Maybe it’s…
Giving a presentation.
Moving to an English-speaking country.
Starting a conversation with someone new.
Now, complete this sentence:
"I can’t do ____ because ____ will happen."
Here’s what I hear all the time:
“I can’t give that presentation because I’ll forget my words, and everyone will think I’m stupid.”
"I can’t move to the UK because I won’t understand the accents, and I’ll feel totally lost.”
“I can’t start that book because I’ll get stuck, and it’ll feel like a failure.”
Got your worst case scenario in mind? Great.
Now, here’s a tool that can help:
Ask Yourself: “So What?”
Let’s say the worst-case English scenario you're worrying about comes true. So what?
You forget your words in a presentation. So what?
Is it the end of the world? No. You’ll pause, take a deep breath, and carry on. Maybe it’ll be awkward for a moment, but is that worse than missing an opportunity to advance your career?
You struggle with British accents. So what?
Do you think you’re the first person to find them challenging? Hardly! You’ll ask for clarification, adapt, and improve with time. Everyone does.
You get confused reading an English book. So what?
You’ve learned something! Maybe that book wasn’t for you right now, but now you can pick something better suited to your level or interests.
Here’s the truth:
Our worst-case scenarios usually fall into one of two categories:
1. Ridiculously unrealistic.
- “If I mess up this presentation, I’ll lose my job!” (Will you, though?)
- “If I make a mistake, people will stop wanting to talk to me!” (Good relationships don’t hinge on perfect grammar.)
2. Not as bad as you think.
- “I might not understand.” (You’ve dealt with this before. You’ll figure it out—whether that’s asking for clarification, using context, or moving on.)
- “I’ll give up halfway through.” (And? You tried, you learned, and now you can adjust your approach next time.)
Why “So What?” Works
When you embrace the possibility of mistakes or challenges, you take away their power.
Instead of worrying, “What if this happens?!”, you’re saying:
“This might happen—and I’ll deal with it.”
This shift is huge. It frees you to focus on progress rather than perfection.
Your New Mantra: “I’ll probably make mistakes—and that’s OK.”
Think about it: Mistakes are part of learning. They’re data that help you improve.
By leaning into the possibility of errors:
- You stop obsessing over avoiding mistakes (which is impossible anyway).
- You prepare for realistic challenges, like forgetting a word or misunderstanding someone.
Instead of fear, you’ll feel… Calm. Confident. Ready.
Now, it’s your turn.
What’s the worst-case scenario you’ve been dreading?
How could leaning into it — and asking, “So what?” — help you stop worrying?
For more information about my language coaching services, contact me at info@rhiannonelt.com
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