Anticipation vs. Reality

If you asked Graham the ONE thing that he would change about me if given the opportunity, he would say that he wished I didn't stress out so much. Graham is the most laid back, easy going person that I know. I, on the other hand, am a nervous, stressed out wreck. I just can't help it...I get it from my mama! This is why he and I fit together SO perfectly. He is the calm to my storm. And yes, I know that sounds cheesy, but it is so true. In any given situation, I always jump to the worst possible conclusion/outcome. To me, if something could go wrong...it WILL! But I have found, time after time, that anticipation is ALWAYS so much worse than reality.
Take my experience yesterday:
I HATE the dentist.
Loathe it with every cell within my body.
I have been quoted as saying that I would rather have open heart surgery than go to the dentist. And this is not an exaggeration. So, as such, I have avoided the dentist for the last SEVEN years!! I've known that I needed to go, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
Because I always jump to the worst possible conclusion, I have thought, for the past six of those seven years, that I have had major issues with my teeth. But, I decided that I would be brave this year, and in MARCH, I told myself that I would go to the dentist this summer. So, guess what has consumed my EVERY waking thought for the last four months? yep...the dreaded dentist. I was convinced that I needed multiple root canals, that I had receding gums, needed teeth pulled and implants put in. You name it, I thought that I had it.
The prognosis, you ask?
I have two old fillings that need to be replaced.
That's it?
I asked the dentist if he was sure. He assured me that he was.
Why do I ALWAYS have to make the anticipation so much worse than the reality?