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Hi nowa!

So this is where we get down to the nitty gritty. Changing our chronic negative thought patterns is equally as important as allowing ourselves to feel emotions and knowing that emotions are safe. All of our physical symptoms are a direct result of how we think and how we are being in that moment. Our bodies are a direct extension of our thoughts. So the first step is becoming aware (which it sounds like you are!). The second step is to start creating new "stories" in our heads and more open thought patterns . This is the magical moment where we go from awareness to "redirecting". The question is how? In the example you gave, it's not going to work because that's a "positive Pollyanna" type of switch. It's too drastic and your brain won't buy into that for one second lol! So if you are thinking "How will I ever get better? This sucks, How am I going to fix this? I can't take it anymore. I hate this freaking pain. Will I ever be normal again? What if this is forever and I'm doomed? Why is this so hard? What am I doing wrong? I've tried everything! How long is this going to take?? I've been journaling for a year! Why isn't this working?? Aaahhh I hate my life!! If this only went away my life would be great!" etc etc. If you try to go from THAT negative thought vortex TO: "I feel well, I'm so happy happy!! Yay!! Life is awesome!" ...it won't work because your brain will think "Dream on! Yeah right!! That's a totally ridiculous lie!" lol

So, rather than trying to do a 180 from the habitual negative thought loop, redirect to thoughts that generate a feeling of relief....better feeling thoughts like: "I know what this is... these pain sensations are just a signal for me to pay attention to what I'm feeling. Am I feeling anger or resentment about the past? (something that happened earlier today?) or am I worrying about the future? (something to do with work or relationships or finances?). Realize that you are generating tension with these past and future thought loops. What these thought patterns do is cause us to repress negative emotions which then get stuck as energy in the body. Feel the emotion and then begin the work of changing the thoughts in order to get unstuck. So where to start? I suggest focus on breathing and bring yourself to the PRESENT moment first. Then think of things that provide relief like "I am clearing out these old thought patterns and I'm going to handle whatever comes. I am doing my best and and I'm going to do something I enjoy or that brings me meaning". At this point you resume the activity you were doing before you got distracted or you act on something you need to do (like tell someone how you felt when they did xyz or tell someone what you need from them, or do that thing you were afraid to do, or resolve to do whatever scary thing is looming in your future and tell yourself you will handle it when the time comes. Whatever happens you will handle it). So its: awareness, feeling the emotion, redirecting the thought to a better feeling thought and finally putting the new thought into action (or just going about your day).

Reversing TMS is a gradual process of cleaning out old rubbish thought patterns. The more consistently you do it, the more it becomes automatic. It's exactly like learning how to play a new song on the piano. This is how I did it with patience and practice, practice, practice. It is slow going in the beginning but then you build momentum over time and it becomes almost like breathing. This is how the pain strategy gets reversed over time. Always stay in the present moment (TMS lives in the past and future) and maintain an attitude of indifference to the TMS. Don't make it this big huge deal, because it's NOT. It's only a big deal in our mind but in actuality it's like the little guy behind the curtain in "The Wizard of Oz" with a microphone. Pull the curtain back and see it for what it is. It's just you....scared. Our thoughts really do create our reality. Give up the fight with the TMS. There is nothing to fear or fight anymore.

MiffyBunny