WHAT IF YOUR WORST-CASE-SCENARIOS HAD THE *POTENTIAL* TO LEAD TO YOUR BEST-CASE-SCENARIOS?
Hi Fellow Humans.
Doesn’t it just f***** suck when life throws a proverbial wrench into your life?
As if life wasn’t already *tough enough* NOW “THIS?!?”
Especially when it feels as though what is unfolding is a worst-case scenario.
When something shitty happens to me, when a worst-case-scenario unfolds, I want to shout, complain, and give the middle finger to life.
But I won’t. I can’t. Not anymore.
Because time and time again, life has PROVEN to me that every unfolding is material to be alchemized.
There’s a reason art is created from drama; that fresh little sprouts spring up in a forest after being ravaged by a fire.
What if worst-case-scenario had the *potential* to lead to BEST-CASE-SCENARIO?
Rather than hypothetically speaking about this topic, I’m going to bring it alive with a deeply personal story.
In early 2019 the 2001 Toyota Corolla I purchased on craigslist for $1,500 (in 2014) had definitively reached a no-longer-safe-to-drive status.
And well, the situation felt pretty bleak to me.
(My decrepit little Corolla was not yet rusting, but it’s safe to say it wasn’t much better off than this one)
As it was, I was barely surviving month-to-month teaching yoga. Having a working car was essential in order to keep driving around town teaching.
Each day I drove my decrepit car, I felt 100% unsafe. As I applied for auto-loan after auto-loan, I was repeatedly denied. Despite having a great credit score and loving parents willing to co-sign, I was consistently denied.
A sense of despair began to set in. WTF was I going to do?!
At long last, one bank said yes!
With an unfortunate caveat - they wouldn’t tell me what the APR would be until I selected a car. Already feeling nervous about how to make the acquisition of a new car work financially, adding in a potentially high APR added to my sense of concern and despair.
I was in a bind. The feeling of worst-case-scenario pulsed through me.
What was I to do? A familiar internal ping said, “it’s time to FREAK OUT AND PANIC!”
And yet, at this stage in my life, I knew all-too-well that giving in to the freakout and panic mode of operating would not serve me.
So I interrupted myself. I paused. I journeyed within myself to find the calm, trusting center beneath the tumultuous surface.
I sat myself down and asked the Universe to please guide me to the best-case-scenario.
I prayed. I meditated. I journaled. I made requests.
I consciously chose to have faith.
Faith that all things have the *potential* to work out in the best-case-scenario if I am willing to surrender my agenda, my fears, and my despair to the all-encompassing vibration of faith.
In this more calm state of being, I hopped on Facebook a few days later and asked a question, “Are any of my friends selling a car?”
I felt that, if I were going to use this sketchy loan with an unknown APR, I might as well apply it towards a car previously owned by someone I love and trust.
A newer friend, Dave, sent me a message “Hey Z, why don’t you call Jason? I know he has helped other friends of mine get a car. He’s an extremely nice guy.”
Jason was someone I vaguely knew from being in the acro yoga community here in SD.
Having no clue in what way Jason could help me, I sent him a message.
Jason, having received a message from Dave letting him know I needed help, called me.
He explained that he has, on occasion, purchased cars from the auction, cars with salvage titles that have been deemed “totaled” by insurance. After purchasing one that has minimal damage, he gets it repaired, and then that becomes his car. Avoiding the dealerships altogether. He would be happy to find one for me.
I said, “well, that sounds great, but I doubt my bank will approve a loan for a salvage title vehicle.
Jason said no problem, I could pay him monthly without interest.
(My thoughts upon hearing that: UMMMMM OK UNIVERSE, IS THIS REAL?! DID YOU JUST SEND ME AN ANGEL? OR A CON MAN?)
I told him yes.
He asked me what kind of car did I want?
“I don’t know, all that matters to me is having a sunroof and Bluetooth.”
Jason chuckled and said he would begin looking at the auction and get back to me.
A week later, he contacted me to say that he hadn’t found much yet but had actually purchased a new car for himself, and perhaps I would be interested in his former car, a BMW sedan that happened to have a sunroof and Bluetooth?
“Sure, I’ll take it for a spin!”
That Tuesday, I was teaching a yoga and meditation class in a park. He drove my potential new car to the park, and participated in my class.
I don’t have any pictures of the BMW! But here is a photo of me in Kauai with another FUCK YES car experience ;)
When the class finished, he sent me a generous Venmo (it was a donation-based class). Then, he looked at me and asked “do you want to take the car for a spin?”
We walk over to the car and hop inside. Me in the driver seat, him in the passenger seat.
I am now sitting behind the wheel of a BMW.
The previous three wheels I’ve sat behind were a Nissan Altima, a Toyota Corolla, and a Honda Civic. All were more than 10 years old when I got them.
I didn’t even need to turn the car on to know it was a FUCK YES for me.
I turned to Jason and said, “Ok, so this car would be great, but I’m not sure I can afford the monthly payments.”
“How about you pay me $100 a month? And if anything goes wrong just let me know and I’ll get it fixed, and then give the car right back. Does that work for you?”
I was utterly astounded by this unimaginable miracle that I could barely squeak out a “yes, that works great, thank you SO much.”
And that was that.
Best-case-scenario. That I could never have imagined. Thank you UNIVERSE! Thank you self. Thank you Jason!
From that point forward I was driving around town in the BMW. Feeling like a complete Queen.
Feeling as though I had somehow 10x’ed my life.
That first week, especially, I BASKED IN JOY AND PLEASURE.
I had endless dance parties in the car. I shared my joy on Instagram. I texted Jason my gratitude and joy almost daily.
I fully received this divine, delicious gift of my worst-case-scenario shifting into best-case-scenario (so quickly!)
OH, BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!
Eventually, Jason, my car-angel, asked me on a date.
I went into the date feeling neutral. I was in a-happily-single stage. Besides,I had not felt an initial attraction to him. I wasn’t even convinced he was real! Perhaps my subconscious made him up? To explain the miracle that was my new car situation?!
But, he was (and is) very much real. We went on our date. Being completely unattached to the outcome of the date, I felt brazen.
At the end of the date, I said “well this has been really fun, but I want to make sure that dating you does not impact the car situation.”
He assured me it wouldn’t, that he would not want me to date him because of the car. And that the car would be mine to drive for as long as I desired.
We hugged goodnight. Three weeks later, we chose to have a committed relationship. Two months later we moved in together. Nine months later he proposed. In a year we are going to Hawaii to get married.
As we are now preparing to sell my car, that fateful BMW, and I’ve been reflecting on how it all unfolded.
I prayed to the Universe for a solution to my car catastrophe. Never could I have imagined it would result in being the driver of a BMW.
NEVER could I have imagined it would result in meeting my soul mate!
I know this year has been shit for many people. I know it feels like worst-case-scenario, again and again.
I know it’s easy to sink into despair.
My message to you is: we just don’t know!
We simply DO NOT KNOW what is in store! Ever!
The possibilities of what can occur are limitless, more than we can ever dream, imagine, or conceive of!!
We exist in a great mystery!
I implore you, trade your worst-case-scenario analyzing for best-case-scenario prayers!
In this year alone I’ve heard countless stories of friends:
Best-case-scenario. That I could never have imagined. Thank you UNIVERSE! Thank you self. Thank you Jason!
Finding love
Discovering new careers
Making more money
Purchasing a dream home
Ending that which no longer served
Getting engaged
Starting businesses
Becoming closer to loved ones
Starting new hobbies
Eating and living healthier
And so so so so much more
I firmly believe we co-create our realities with the “Universe” or “God” or “the Great Unknown.”
Your worst-case-scenarios have the *potential* to be alchemized into BEST-CASE-SCENARIOS.
But it requires something of you: a total mindset shift. A willingness to GIVE UP your doubt, fear, and endless-analysis and instead make bold, faith-based requests of the Universe.
“Dear Universe, please guide me to the best-case-scenario for X….”
The Unknown is Life. Discomfort is life.
I am sharing this story from my life to BLESS YOU UP.
To crack open your being so that you may spill out into the world in new ways.
Anything is possible. Life is utterly limitless.
May all of your worst-case-scenarios alchemize into best-case-scenarios instead. May your moments of despair lead to the longings of your soul being materialized.
With love, love, love, and more love,
Zoë