| I'd like to tell you about the amazing power of worry. | | | | as if he were saying, "I want it but I can't have it." He |
| Everybody worries from time to time. The good news | | | | recognized this, and shifted into feeling joy about the |
| is, inherent in worry are two very special powers -- the | | | | dolphins that he knew were there in the ocean, and he |
| power of VIVID IMAGINATION, and the power of | | | | sent them warm feelings of appreciation. Before you |
| PERSISTENT FOCUS. People who are really good at | | | | could say "leaping dolphins" they appeared! |
| worrying, like I am, are actually able to visualize and | | | | 3. A third way is to imagine that Right Now is all there |
| feel the thing they fear as if it were real; in addition, | | | | is. Worry is usually about a regretted past or an |
| they have the ability to tenaciously focus on it. Those | | | | imagined future. You can use worry as a reminder to |
| are super powers! The trick is to harness those | | | | come into the present moment and be here one |
| powers and use them for expansion and growth | | | | breath at a time, one step at time. My brother lived on |
| (instead of contraction and stuckness). That's when | | | | his sailboat off the coast of Saint Croix and a year |
| the worrier metamorphs into the warrior. | | | | ago Hurricane Omar crashed head on into the island |
| Since worry is a given for me, I have a choice to either | | | | and sank my brother's boat. He lost everything. He felt |
| use it to suffer or to grow. I don't like suffering, | | | | devastated and worried. A friend let him stay on his |
| therefore, worry has been a compelling force in my | | | | boat for awhile. My brother told himself to just take |
| personal growth. It is a burr under my saddle, a spur in | | | | baby steps. He said to himself, "All I got to do is get up; |
| my side, I am learning to harness it and take it for a | | | | all I got to do is get myself to shore in the dingy; all I got |
| ride, like a bucking bronco, riding out of the tight pen into | | | | to do is take baby steps, one after another." Now, a |
| an expansive field. | | | | year later, he is a very happy man. He learned that he |
| I want to share 4 ways you can use the power of | | | | has more friends than he ever knew he had because |
| Vivid Imagination and Persistent Focus to transform | | | | people reached out to him and helped him get back on |
| your worrier self into your warrior self: | | | | his feet. And he is living on his new sailboat that is |
| 1. The first way is to imagine the worrier within as a | | | | even better than the one that was destroyed. What a |
| child who feels small and powerless. Imagine putting | | | | difference one step at a time makes! |
| that child into your heart, and speaking to the child | | | | 4. Fourth and finally, imagine that your fear and worry |
| affectionately, holding, comforting and loving the child. In | | | | are just frozen fun. Fritz Perls said, "Fear is excitement |
| the act of doing this, you become your compassionate, | | | | without the breath." Add breath to worry and you free |
| loving, Big Soul Self, which is who you truly are, and | | | | up that energy, turning it into fun and excitement. I'll give |
| your little worrier self is put into perspective. | | | | you an example: I'm always nervous before giving a |
| 2. The second way is to use worry as a catalyst for | | | | speech. But I've decided to breathe and call my |
| prayer. People who worry are motivated to pray. | | | | nervousness excitement, and now I feel a lot better |
| Studies of prayer show that what makes it most | | | | about giving speeches. I sing to myself, "I'm so excited. I |
| effective is imagining and feeling the energy of what it | | | | just can't hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like |
| is we desire, feeling as if it is already so. Native | | | | it!" |
| American rainmakers say that they don't pray for rain, | | | | Is there something in your life that you're worried |
| they pray rain, they imagine it, they feel it. When my | | | | about? You can use the super powers of Vivid |
| husband Tom first came to California he walked along | | | | Imagination and Persistent Focus to transform your |
| the ocean shore longing to see dolphins, but none | | | | wimpy, weeny worrier into a magnificent, powerful |
| were showing up. His yearning held an energy of lack, | | | | warrior. Just imagine that! |