Making Bets to Ease Anxiety

People can feel a lot of anxiety about the unknown. I remember my psychologist sister telling me once that people felt worse waiting to find out whether they had a cancer diagnosis than they did after actually receiving the diagnosis. At least, then, they could start dealing with it. Not only do I have anxiety about the unknown, but I also really don’t like getting into arguments. My husband, Rich, and I came up with a great solution for both of these: We turn our anxiety into a friendly bet!

We always bet a bottle of champagne (Baby Duck specifically) and we always agree to drink it together. Also, we never actually buy it and we share money anyway, so the bets have absolutely nothing riding on them except bragging rights. I usually bet on the option I don’t want (e.g. I bet Rich that I would have all sorts of complications delivering twins). That way, if I lose the bet, I win at life, and vice versa. It really takes the pressure off.

One time Rich and I were arguing over whether there were more younger or older people that rode motorcycles. We were both sure we were right. I said, “Okay, I bet you a bottle of baby duck that there are more older motorcycle riders on the roads. The cut-off age is your older brother. Our counting starts right now.” So from then on, it was more like playing “punch buggy,” and for the next few weeks we estimated ages and kept score. Then I hit the jackpot: a motorcycle convention. Apparently older people are way more into motorcycle conventions. I won by a landslide.

But that’s nothing compared to Garage Sale Betting!

The game where everybody wins, but the prize is something that someone else didn’t want.

I love predicting the things we will find at garage sales, either with a person, or in my own head. My favourite item is workout equipment. Seeing it selling, for pennies on the dollar, at the end of someone’s driveway makes me feel better about the workout equipment I buy and don’t use. And I can’t even count the number of wine racks I see. People must just be wine rack over-estimators. I have set up the most commonly seen items in a grid in case you wanted to play some kind of bingo game. I personally like to pick three and see if I see them.

Wine Rack	Workout Equipment	VHS Tapes	Luggage	Christmas Decorations
Wicker Baskets	Medical Equipment (e.g. Raised toilet seat, walker)	Lace Table Cloth	Framed Pictures and Paintings	Puzzles
Choppers (e.g. Slap Chop, Mandolin)	Coffee Mugs	Candle Holders	Punch Bowl	Backpacks
Kitchen chairs in a bad colour	Non-dishwasher safe plates and bowls	Golf Clubs	Tools	Jars
CDs	Board Games	Stuffed Animals	Globe with the Soviet Union on it	Wine Glasses
Tricycles or other wheeled outdoor toddlers toys	Kids books	Single Use Cooker (like George Forman Grill).	Clothes	China Doll

Even in the popular show, “How I Met Your Mother,” Lily and Marshal had long-term bets with each other about their friends. I bet it would have really cut down on those characters anxieties… if they were real.

You can bet about almost anything! At a wedding, I bet the person beside me at the table that every single person who approached the microphone would struggle with it. The consequence for losing the bet was shots, which we would do together. Suddenly the struggling with the microphone was funny, not annoying.

I wonder if betting will actually be useful to anyone else. Actually, I’m feeling a little anxious about it…

I know! I bet you a bottle of Baby Duck that you won’t use any of the concepts on this page even once over the next two months. Let me know how that goes.

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