Learning to Live: The Tool Box.
When it dons on you that you don't like the way you feel-and I'm not talking about long periods of sadness (although this is the first step I'd recommend to turn that around as well), but when your driving your car and you realize that you're frustrated, or down, or any other emotion that isn't "good'-
YOU CAN CHANGE THAT.
-and I mean Right Away.
It just takes some forethought and a little bit of planning.
Schedule in a half hour for yourself this week-make this as elaborate or as convenient as you'd like. If elaborate, plan you're time accordingly! You need a half hour for this excercise. Id' recommend having a notebook ready.
Once your positioned comfortably......JUST BREATHE..........as a thought comes into your head, recognize it, and then JUST BREATHE ....
Joy
Do you have a memory of feeling sheer joy? Remember it fully. Every detail of the occasion. Colors, sounds, people, words. Remember it until you can feel the Joy...then stay in that place as long as you'd like.
Peace
Do you have a special place? One in which you feel peaceful and calm, content? Imagine it. All the details. colors, sounds, shapes. Imagine it until you can feel the Peace...then stay in that place as long as you'd like.
Creating Joy and Peace
Once you're in the reflective Joy or reflective Peace state and you're ready to move on, ask yourself "What would make me feel even more Joy/Peace than this? And imagine THAT.
Sometimes you'll find that when you plug in your answer to the imagery, it DOESN'T bring more joy/peace, but less! And this is a great segway into the chapter about getting to know yourself and being sure that what you THINK you want is what you REALLY want...more on that another time...LOL.
Repeat the CREATING step as many times as you'd like!
Now you have created mental movies that you can put in your tool box, and plug em into your mind whenever it dons on you that you don't like the way you feel. Instant Joy, and Instant Peace.
Strengthening these images produces greater results, so try to take the time to write them down, but at a minimum, remember to plug in your mental movie on your way to sleep at night. Falling asleep peaceful, content or joyful brings a more restful evening, pleasant dreams and a happier wake-up.
