Overcoming the Fear of “What If?”

My wife and I recently tackled a task that had been weighing on our minds for weeks: taking our puppy, Sully, on his first plane ride. In the days leading up to the trip, we conjured up a host of worst-case scenarios, each more unsettling than the last. Would Sully have an accident in his carrier? Would he whine nonstop and earn us glares from passengers? Could this experience end up being traumatic for him—and for us?

We prepared as best we could. We acclimated Sully to his carrier, cut off food and water earlier than usual to minimize the chances of accidents or motion sickness, and took him out for a final potty break at 7:30 PM before leaving home. By 8:45, we were at the airport. I went through security on my own, since I have TSA PreCheck and my wife doesn’t. I assumed Sully could stay in the carrier through the metal detector, but the TSA agent informed me that I had to carry him. Suddenly, I was juggling Sully, my carry-on, and the unexpected requirement to remove my belt after setting off the alarm. Still, I managed to hold him, get my belongings through the scanner, and slip him back into his carrier with the help of a few pieces of kibble. The first hurdle was cleared—phew!

Next was getting him to go potty before boarding. We tried the pet relief area, but it was filthy and the smell alone made us gag. Concerned about hygiene, we barely let Sully down for a few seconds, then wiped his paws thoroughly. We tried the family restroom next, but Sully was more interested in the toilet paper dispenser than doing his business. Nervous that he might not be comfortable, we decided to trust our preparations and got on the plane anyway.

Amazingly, Sully slept for the first two hours of the flight. When he finally stirred, I reached into the carrier to comfort him and realized he was about to vomit. I had to accept that there was nothing I could do at that moment. He threw up, then promptly ate it—gross, but done. He went right back to sleep, and that was the only mishap we encountered. He hadn’t had an accident in nearly six and a half hours, and he remained calm and quiet the entire journey. All our doomsday worries—the whining, the soiled carrier, the disapproving fellow passengers—proved unfounded.

When we finally reached my in-laws’ house, Sully relieved himself outside with the longest pee of his life. He seemed just fine, and we breathed a huge sigh of relief. All that anxiety, all those worst-case scenarios, had overshadowed the simple truth: our preparations, and Sully’s resilience, had set us up for success. It wasn’t perfect, but it was far smoother than we imagined.

We often spend so much time anticipating disasters that we forget many challenges turn out better than expected. Yes, it’s smart to prepare and consider potential pitfalls. But it’s also important to picture the best-case scenario. Chances are, you’ll find that reality often lands somewhere in between your greatest fears and your wildest hopes—and closer to the positive side than you’d think. If you’re facing a daunting task, prepare thoughtfully, move forward step-by-step, and trust your abilities. More often than not, you’ll look back and realize you were stronger and more resilient than you ever gave yourself credit for.