A new post will be published each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Visualization
As I promised, I am dedicating this week's posts to sharing some techniques that have helped me to relax and handle stress. In today's offering, I would like to tackle those nasty emotions we all have from time to time: bitterness, resentment, jealousy, anger.... You know what I mean.
So, today let's do some visualization, and clear out those ugly beasties that sometimes rear their offensive heads and clutter our hearts and minds with negativity. A negative perspective can become consuming, blocking our ability to live productively. At best it is distracting and a waste of time and energy. Besides, I don't believe any of us enjoys that discomforting and dark place where our thoughts are whirling with hurt and anger, not even for a moment. It's a place disconnected from our best and happiest self and, honestly, we don't need to settle for that in our life. There are better places to live!
The following exercise is based on one from my book, Gratitude's Transcending Power. It has helped me to let go of negative thoughts and feelings, and embrace the abundance that is available to me. I'm confident that it can help you, too!
Visualize yourself being transported to a very high mountain. Standing on that mountain top, pull up from within yourself every negative thought or feeling--fear; doubt; envy; anxiety; everything that is demeaning or defeating--and cast if from you. As you let go, currents of wind scoop up each bit of negativity, and every self-defeating and limiting behavior. They're blown away, carried far from you, to distant places where you never have to go.
Turn away. Every negative influence is gone and you're free. An empty vessel, you are ready to receive and be filled. Open yourself, drawing into your being beauty, peace, and positive influence. It comes in many forms: uplifting music, encouraging friends who remind you of your value and ability; the beauties of nature; scripture passages; inspiring thoughts recorded in great literature; an image from a photograph or piece of art. Contemplate just one of these positive and beautiful influences. Allow the spirit of thanksgiving for this influence or object to fill your soul and expand your awareness of the vast array of goodness that is available to you. Rejoice in this awareness, and know that you can revisit this mountain peak at any time to be renewed and strengthened.
Take your time as you do this exercise and let its full impact rest on you. What are you seeing, hearing, smelling? Especially, what are you feeling? Along with whatever else you are experiencing, let yourself feel gratitude for the beautiful object, sound, smell, thought or scene you have focused on. It is in deeply feeling your positive responses that beneficial chemicals are released into your system. These chemicals will actually lessen your stress and help you to relax and find joy in life. Let go of any feelings of guilt, shame or embarrassment about the negative feelings you released in this exercise. Those feelings may have been with you for a long time, but they are not your friends and they do not need to be your traveling companions. Let them go and embrace beauty and peace.
Do this exercise whenever you feel negative emotions boiling up inside. Every time you do it you are stimulating your brain to produce new and more positive messages that do two very important things: as stated above, they cause chemicals to be released that will help to calm you, and you will actually create new neuro pathways in your brain. The more frequently you do the exercise the stronger these positive pathways will become, and you will find that you are able to more quickly and effectively cope with and let go of negative emotions in the future. So, don't wait, begin now to develop more positive and healthy thoughts, and enjoy the blessings of life that keep you in a happy, productive place.
TODAY'S AWESOME BLESSING:
Today's awesome blessing actually happened Monday night. My husband and I went out for the evening with friends and enjoyed a free concert at an outdoor amphitheater. It had rained earlier in the day, but the evening was sunny and the temperature was perfect. The music was lighthearted and fun, and there was plenty of opportunity for toe tapping and hand clapping. Many of the songs were original compositions that were very personal to the performers, and I found myself marveling at their ability to put simple experiences to engaging tunes. I thought to myself, "We need to do this more often. What a wonderful way to relax!"
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