But, if it does happen, at least we are (mentally) prepared. We can overdo this, of course, and become obsessed by certain scenarios that might never happen, which will only lead to fear and anxiety. The praemeditatio malorum is not about harboring fear; it’s about preempting fear in advance by rational thinking. The key is moderation and acceptance as opposed to obsession and resistance. So, by addressing possible future scenarios in a ‘pessimistic’ way, we not only set ourselves up for keeping calm in miserable circumstances, we also eradicate the possibility of disappointment and accept
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