Stop Fighting

On my journey to find a more peaceful relaxing relationship with myself I have run into some interesting information. From the book The Happiness Trap came the helpful message, when you are dealing with negative thoughts and emotions, don't fight them; accept them and let them be.

Why didn't I think of that? I could have saved myself a lot of grief by following this advice. The more you struggle with anything negative the bigger it becomes. When you just acknowledge its presence it will most likely diminish in one way or the other.

When I think back to all the years I previously spent trying to fight severe anxiety attacks I can clearly see how true this advice is. Too bad I didn't know it at the time. Back then I took the stance that there had to be something wrong with me. Why couldn't I just make the attacks stop? What did I do to deserve this terrible experience? I now think the answer to that was nothing. It was just part of my journey. One diversion that seemed to work at the time was to slowly count backwards from 100.

Lately I have been trying out several techniques to learn to relax more. I checked out a website offering very simple Yoga instructions for beginners. One suggestion that attracted me was the Shava Asano position, so simple anyone can do it. Basically you just lie down face up on a mat or carpet, close your eyes and imagine that your whole body is relaxed.

I have, at the suggestion of my chiropractor, scheduled several appointments for massage therapy, which I am looking forward to. It has been years since I gave myself this treat.

In addition to this indulgence, a very generous friend is giving me the gift of an intuitive reading with a skilled healer she has worked with. This will be a first for me and I am both excited and a little bit nervous. I am also very grateful that my friend cared enough about my welfare to offer this gift.

So together with practicing better breathing habits I am well on the road to a more relaxing existence. I am finding it less and less necessary to fight negative energy. I am gradually learning to let it be and focus on positive energy.