When we identify something as our own, we hold it to ourselves, we take ownership of whatever it may be, and we are slow to give it up or give it away.

Only once you let something go, no longer view it as your own, can you actually give it away or let it go.  Would you agree?  For example, when deciding to give away some old clothes, you would no longer wear them, no longer see yourself in them and no longer imagine situations with you in those clothes…. right?

Well, I would purpose that we do the same thing with disorders and sickness.  How many times do you hear someone, or you yourself say, my anxiety or my headache or my sickness… these statements create a sense of ownership.

-real life example, I used to be a smoker.  Yup, health-nut- all-natural- non-toxic Donna was a pack-a-day smoker.  I would hangout with groups of people at the smokers pit who all identified as smokers.  We all smelled, we were all cool, we all hung out on every break puffing away.  When I wanted to quit smoking, I found it hard, not only was there the physical addiction to the nicotine but there was also  the social aspect.  I was one of those smoke-smelling-cool- smoke pit -people and I wanted to be with my friends.  I was a smoker.  This was a cycle that happened for many years.

Then one day, December 11, 2001 I was traveling with a friend to meet his family.  They had never met me before.  On the way there I had my last cigarette. I knew I wanted to quite, and I decided that I was not going to let these new people, know that I was a smoker.  When we were there 5 days, the ladies all went out for drinks.  This was going to be the test, a place where it would be perfectly acceptable to smoke.  Part of the way through the evening it came out that I smoked, and the response from the ladies was surprise.  They said, “oh, I didn’t see you as a smoker!”, “I can’t imaging you being a smoker.”, “I didn’t know you smoked.”  And for the first time, I said “I don’t Smoke!”, “I am not a smoker.”  Oh THE FREEDOM!

That was it for me, I have never smoked again, there was still the addiction to come over and getting back into normal life around people who had an expectation of me.  But the first step was to stop owning the habit, stop identifying myself as a smoker and start seeing myself as a healthy non smoker.

So how can that be applied to anxiety and sickness?  Start with language.  The power of the words that we use cannot be underestimated.  I am not suggesting to deny that there is a problem, in fact it is just the opposite we must admit there is a problem, but we cannot own the problem.  “Oh, my anxiety gets the best of me.”  “My sickness is back.”

See yourself as the person you want to be.  See yourself as healthy and able to deal with what life hands you.   Admit that there is a an issue, but it is not yours, you do not own it and you are happy to part with it. That is the first step.  The journey may be long, but at least now you know that first step.

Try it with all the things you desire to become

I am _____ and I am a strong person with a desire to be healthy and vivacious.

I am ______ and I am a caring loving person who people like to be around.

I am _____ and I am a motivator, I am a great wife, I am a loving mother.

I am _______ and I am a child of the King.  Through Him I can do all things.

that is where it is at friends. The freedom and liberation from what holds you back is in you, and YOU have complete control over it.

The journey may still be long, and the road ahead my be a hard one, but the most important thing you will hear with what you tell yourself. So tell yourself great things, so that you become great.

Keep Well Friends,

Donna