Written by: Maria R. Malec, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What if we didn't have a term for "depression" "anxiety" "sadness" "anger" "fear" or any of those other negative feeling descriptives?
How else would we describe what we are feeling?
Are labels and diagnoses necessary because they validate what we are feeling; that what we are feeling is real? Would it be accurate to say that these labels suggest how we are feeling by the mere definition of the word?
How about entertaining the concept that what we are feeling is simply out of alignment with our idea of or expectation of what it means to be happy and at peace?
Is happiness your goal or just to not repeatedly experience events of the past in the now?
If you didn't feel the effects of that "label", what would you feel like instead? What would you replace those self-defeating experiences/emotions with? Have you ever thought about it in this way?
What if you could just flip the script? I'm here to tell you that with the proper tools and consistent, simple practices it can be achieved. You no longer need to be a prisoner of your mind and can effectively find relief. How great is that?
The 3 requirements for flipping the script:
Belief that healing can be achieved
The desire and willingness to be healed
Active participation in the healing process
Thoughts are the vocabulary of our minds. Everything we tell ourselves, our mind believes. It goes without saying that if we don't believe healing is possible... we are right, it probably won't happen. As improbable as it sounds, many people really don't want to be healed. The common thought process here is that the label defines us. If we don't have the diagnosis/label, then who are we? We must first come to terms that we are not our diagnosis/label. Many people are paralyzed with the idea of having a void where the label once was.
As a result, these people are resistant to the door of change. One of my favorite quotes for change to happen is, "Our desire to change needs to be greater than our desire to stay the same." That's when the magic happens. Ultimately, the power of change resides in the belief, willingness, and act of doing.
What we focus on expands, whether it's good or bad, which is why we need to pay close attention to our words/thoughts. Our minds work best with pictures, which is why those tormenting emotions are that much more painful. Our minds don't actually know the difference if an event happened a year ago or if it is currently happening. If you are picturing an event over and over again, as I call brain looping, your brain and body are responding as if it is currently happening. Your body is creating the chemistry that manifests in those unsavory emotions. Emotions are the vocabulary of our bodies. Sadly, these bodily signals are the things that someone who is suffering is desperate to turn off. Yet, it is our emotions that signal us as to what needs attention. Turning them off with pharmaceuticals, alcohol, excessive exercise, or other addictions is like driving your car without signal lights.
Here is a 3 step process that you can start with and develop over time to flip the script from P.T.S.D. to C.A.L.M. Flipping the script is the ability to look at your issues through new lenses and working through the trauma without turning off your emotions. Despite what you currently believe, the power is within you to shift in the way you think and feel. This process is powerful and effective if you incorporate it into your daily life. Don't let the simplicity of this law of attention fool you. When properly executed, amazing things happen.
Step 1: Concise choice of words
Choose a specific set of affirming words in the present tense. The brain likes consistency and responds well to repetition. This is how we reprogram our thinking... flip the script!
Examples:
I am whole
I am in the process of healing
I am Safe
I am at peace
My body reflects radiance and vitality
Each day I am creating a meaningful life
I am opening my heart and learning to trust again
I believe in myself.
Step 2: Clear Visualization
Create a picture in your mind to envision while you repeat your affirming statement. Only use one statement at a time. After all, you can only focus on one image at a time. You can get as detailed as you desire. The more detail, the greater the connection to the pleasurable emotion.
Ideas: Think of something you enjoy, a specific person, food, or activity. BE SPECIFIC!
Family member's name
Best friend's name
A red delicious apple
Butter pecan ice cream
Pepperoni pizza
running on a trail
dirt biking on a track
reading a book in a hammock
Favorite vacation spot
Your pet
Step 3: Corresponding feeling with Visualization
During this infuse your image (from the visualization in Step 2) with a good feeling. How does your image bring you joy? Fully FEEL what you see. This is the most important component of this exercise. Memories (pictures/visuals) are always attached to an emotion. As you repeat an affirming statement with a visual that is attached to a positive feeling, you will start to feel the new effects of the reprogramming process. When you give your mind new images to focus on you effectively begin to heal from the damage of a self-sabotaging mindset. You can only think one thought at a time. If you are consistently putting your attention on self-affirming statements coupled with an enjoyable visual and positive corresponding feeling, you will begin to see your life transform. Do it as much as you can. Do it daily for a minimum of 21 days. And 66 consecutive days if you want it to become automated, a.k.a. a habit. A pretty darn good habit to have by the way. While this process above may seem like a silly exercise, you will soon find out that your determination will give you positive results. You get what you put into it and the benefits will speak for themselves. Flipping the script is merely a starting point to ignite your healing from sabotaging thoughts of things that you are no longer experiencing except for in your mind. If you change the way you look at things the things you look at have no choice except to change. Start with believing that relief is possible. Be open to possibilities and take an active role in the process. The mind is a complex machine that requires specific, yet, simple methods to control how you feel. The control is absolutely within your reach. Trust that all you do serves your highest good.
About Maria
For the past 2 decades, Maria has been a wellness advocate for informed self-care and ‘Chemical Free’ living. As a result of countless hours of training and personal development, she thrives on teaching others how to design unique blueprints for vitality by implementing a “live above the wellness line” mindset. Her enthusiasm stems from helping others make informed decisions and becoming responsible for how they care for themselves and their families. She's "#justamom" on a mission with a heart for sharing what works to make the world a better place for all.
Her Mission
Teach self-reliance and self-care skills to busy moms who need help to overcome health & wellness hurdles so that they may confidently experience self-care success living elevated with everyday wellness.
Want to learn more from Maria? Visit her website.
Maria R. Malec, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
As a Human Experience Coach, Maria reminds folks that living is an art. Using various tools found in nature, she creates experiential retreats that ignite one's inner healer. She brings people to the awareness that their level of wellness is directly related to their peace of mind. Through heart/brain coherence, it is her mission to inspire others to paint a beautiful living by daring to declare their innermost desires, bringing peace to chaotic hearts, and helping them to restore themselves to their original blueprint of design. Her methods teach others how to find their flow and live fully with all their senses.
