Did you know that you can mentally throw out your worry and replace it with something else?
When a worry arises,
Try this exercise.
Picture the worry to yourself.
Notice where you place this picture in your mind's eye.
Whether you're in it,
Whether there are any colours.
Notice any sounds that go with it.
Now let go of it.
Clap your hands together and wiggle your toes.
Can you think of something which you used to worry about,
But which now no longer worries you?
If you can,
Try to think of something which you know it was really silly to worry about.
Picture that thing.
Where is this picture in your mind's eye?
Are there any sounds or sensations?
Notice the placing of these.
Let go of that image.
Now,
You need to come back to your original picture.
The picture of the thing that worried you.
Can you drain the colour from it?
Make it smaller.
Can you turn the sound down?
Shrink the sensations.
Now I wonder if you can take this picture,
Breathe in and grab a hold of it.
And as you breathe out,
Blow the picture along with its sounds and sensations to the same place in your mind's eye as the picture of the thing you used to worry about.
Which you now know is silly.
Blow the picture away there and feel the sensations leaving your body.
Hear the sounds disappearing.
Now let go,
Turn away from that space.
Have another wiggle.
Is there something you'd like to be thinking instead of worrying?
Picture yourself thinking that.
Be aware of where the picture is in your mind's eye,
Of any colours,
How vibrant they are.
Hear any sounds which you might hear when you're thinking that thing.
Including things you may be telling yourself.
Feel any sensations.
Really become aware of them.
Now,
Do you believe that the sun rises every day?
Of course you do,
We all know it to be true.
Picture the sun rising every day to yourself.
Where do you see that in your mind's eye?
What are the colours like?
Are there any sounds or sensations associated with knowing this to be the case?
Now return to the picture which you have of yourself thinking the thing you'd really like to think.
Where is it in relation to the sun rising every day?
Can you move it a bit closer?
Now as you breathe in,
Again you're going to gather the picture of yourself thinking the thing which you'd like to think.
And as you breathe out,
You're going to blow it to the place where the sun rises every day.
That's right.
And as you do that,
Notice any sounds getting louder,
Any sensations feeling stronger.
And really like this is part of you.
Perhaps,
Instead of being outside the picture of yourself thinking what you'd like to think,
You could step in and see it from inside.
Think of a situation in the future where you're used to worry about the particular worry we've been working on.
Can you picture yourself now thinking the thing which you've just decided you'd rather be thinking?
Can you be in that situation thinking what you'd rather be thinking?
Take a break now as you know that you no longer worry about that thing.
