What, Me Worry?

I grew up with Mad Magazine, so I am very familiar with Alfred E Neuman's catchphrase. But instead of being too stupid to worry about things, I am too smart to worry about them. In my philosophy of life, what I do and how I think create my reality. I believe the universe gives me what I focus on. (An important corollary to that is the universe does not bother with “not”. If I am always thinking “I don't want to get cancer”, I am putting a lot of focus on cancer. I would say “I am healthy” instead)

Worrying about a “not” is extremely common and ultimately futile. Worrying about something does not actually do anything. It makes you think you are doing something, but the thing you are worried about stays intact while you put more and more focus on it. Instead, figure out what you DO want to have happen and leave the thing you don't want out of your mind.

Take me, for example. I have been battling mild depression because I really don't like my living situation. It kills me that I could be doing nothing with Humphrey all day long. There is a part of me that wants to sink into being bummed and show everyone how bad it is for me to be without my sweetest. On the other hand, I really do not want to mess up my reputation as someone who is always positive. And I know that being bummed just creates more of the same.

I intend to live in the thought that my cat is with me before it exists in reality. I do not need to worry about HOW that will happen, I just need to know that it is. I need to let go of specifics. I don't know which cat will live with me, just that it will be my cat. That's hard. I am very attached to Humphrey, and I don't want to let the thought of living with HIM go. I can assure myself that if I am focused on living with my cat, that would be him.

I am not just focused on the thought but the feeling of living with my cat. It's easy for me to close my eyes and imagine my cat leaning against me. Then I smile, knowing that he is right there and we are safe and taken care of by competent people. The feeling pours gasoline on the fire the thought created. Now I just need to fan the flames by creating the feeling over and over. Every time I think “Humphrey's not actually here”, or I want to be sad, I stop and remind myself of the feeling and the reality I intend to create.

I did not come up with this on my own. I have always been interested in alternative medicine and alternative ways of thinking. For my brain surgery in 1996, I used visualizations to help me through, and I was smart enough to know I shouldn't be worried before I knew what was wrong. After the surgery, a friend recommended Dr. Mary Lou Rane, a nutritionist/naturopath who gives me vitamin and mineral supplements that I have taken ever since. She also uses NET(Neuro Emotional Technique) and studied at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment, which I attended for the introductory course in the year 2000. That place was all about using your mind differently, and I very much enjoyed it. After that, I met Peter Lotterhos, who was, at the time, a life coach with whom I worked for three years, first as a client and then helping run trainings.

The school and Peter have shaped my thinking ever since. The school expanded my idea of what was possible, and working with Peter gave me tools and techniques I could use on a daily basis. This was right around the time I was diagnosed with MS, so I employed those tools immediately to deal with the medication I was prescribed and eventually to make the decision that would shape the rest of my life. That was to take my mother and stepfather up on their offer to build me an ohana or studio apartment, where I would live for the next 16 years. I would also start going to church, which was another lasting support and influence.

That is a very brief peek into how I think the way I do. I have also had examples that confirmed what I believe. There are days when I struggle with my doubts, anger, and resentments, and I feel completely justified in my negativity. Those are days I don't post. I remind myself that things can get a lot worse, I don't know how, but they can. I gently say goodbye to those thoughts and imagine my ideal scenario. Doing that puts me back in a good mood, and all is right with the world once again. Let's post!