The subtitle of my book is, “Be Bold, Be Imperfect, Be Present, and Recover”. During Recovery, we are encouraged to use several different methods when a storm enters our lives. A mountain climber uses a rope tethered to their body to prevent a catastrophic fall. The rope is a way to hold ourselves steady so the wind does not trip us up and we fall.
It takes a tremendous amount of courage (Be Bold) to attempt not to get rid of those stormy thoughts and feelings in our lives. Our thoughts and feelings about a situation may be accurate or totally off base (Be Imperfect). When we notice and name our thoughts and feelings they lose much of their strength to swing us around. The aim is to acknowledge our thoughts and feelings without obeying them and without struggling against them.
Connect with our bodies in the here and now (Be Present) while we are thinking and feeling something. Remember the rope we spoke about earlier, it will keep us grounded and safe. Finally, turn our attention to the here and now and pay attention to the activity we are doing.
I was working on my book using my computer. Suddenly, thoughts and feelings surfaced such as; “You don’t deserve to be happy,” “You need to be perfect.” I began to feel anxious, irritated, and sad. Rather than struggle or obey my thoughts and feelings I took a moment to notice them. I noticed perspiration forming on my chest and back. I took a moment to notice my surroundings. I looked out the window and saw a beautiful blue sky and lush green grass. By staying with my thoughts and feelings their intensity began to reduce. Sometimes it is helpful to go through this process several times.
Recovery is the tethered rope wrapped around our wastes. It is guaranteed to stay with us until we once again find our equilibrium.
Peace
Larry
email:: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net