129. I Don’t Want To Feel This Way: 5 Ways To Switch Anxiety

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety or depression? What if we told you the key to ridding yourself of these emotions resides within you? It’s true—we are imminently capable of changing our thoughts. In this episode of Spiritually Hungry, we’ll explain exactly what we mean and share ideas about how you can change how you experience life by shifting your perspective and finding more clarity.

Transcript

So our thoughts are always ours to change we can accept them. We can reject them. We can adjust them. We can revise them We can even get rid of the pesky as freeloaders, But we have to understand that it comes down to how we perceive things Welcome to the spiritually hungry podcast, Let's start with a story. I love you. I know I haven't said one in a while No, I was gonna make fun of this one. I can already feel really should I you tell me do I have permission? You don't do you ever wait for my I'm waiting for your permission now once upon a time a boy name Oh, Yeah, I guess sir. No, You're gonna do what you want to do. No only if you want to do it Are you ready? Once upon a time a boy named Isaac worked really hard and saved up enough money to buy a house The house he bought had a beautiful finished basement, But Isaac didn't need all that space He didn't have any kids or even a girlfriend It's a true story Can't just follow along. Okay. I have many questions already The fact that Isaac couldn't keep a girlfriend is a whole different story that we're not getting into today. So back to the story Isaac decided to make some extra money by renting out his basement But the people who moved in never paid him a dime When the sink leaked he had it fixed when the door creaked and the non-paying renters complained. He fixed that too Now not only did he have the mortgage of the house to pay for and the insurance He was also spending a lot of time and energy on maintenance, But because this is a parable Isaac never evicted them Hold your thoughts many many questions and even more than that. He could hear them He heard their alarm while he was making his coffee. He heard their TV when he came home from work So he had a constant reminder that they were there rent-free Isaac was annoyed from this from the time he woke up in the morning until the time he went to sleep This couldn't be allowed to go on right? Absolutely. Nope, The freeloaders lived in Isaac's basement to this very day Today, We're going to talk about how we're not all that much different than Isaac. You see where I'm going Michael I think I do. Yes, Because many questions Because we all have freeloaders that we let live inside our thoughts They take up space sap our resources and don't give us anything of value in return Who are these freeloaders you may be asking? Doubts and grudges just to name a few If the bad news is that we're all prone to letting these freeloaders take up the space in our thoughts The good news is that we're eminently capable of changing our thoughts. I Can go on and on did you want to interject for a second? Well, You're lucky. I didn't name the kid Michael tell you that should next time. It should definitely be Michael but as I was thinking about this podcast and of course we want to talk today about How do we diminish if not as you said ultimately completely rid ourselves of these thoughts the the two that I focus on which unfortunately, Unfortunately, That's where most of the world is focused on anxiety and depression and I think there's a lot that from a spiritual perspective Both insight and understanding that can be but I think what you just said now is something you said Off-handedly, Maybe but I wonder how many people who experience These thoughts, You know anxiety doubt and certainly depression How many actually believe that they are? Eminently Capable of ridding them. I think part of the problem and maybe this is the right place to start is the internal belief That I can absolutely rid myself Certainly of the level of fear and anxiety and certainly sadness and or depression that I have and Unless you believe that unless you really believe that I think it will be unlikely that you'll make real Real inroads in removing them. So that's I think that's what it's important to start there because I don't think That that is something that most people accept about themselves And I think even about I'm thinking even you know, Obviously this level different. Obviously, It's a whole gamut of How much each one of us is Inflicted by these afflicted by these but the reality is every single one of us has those Doubts fears and again, It gets the levels of anxiety. Sometimes it gets a level of sadness. It gets a level of depression But unless we actually accept That I have the power. I have the ability to completely rid myself of these thoughts Nothing else will matter nothing. No, No, There is no second step I think that where you start before getting to the place of being able to eradicate them is to realize how much we Soak and sponge up the things around us. We react to pretty much everything especially Negative things that happen right and those things then create anxiety and doubt and fear and worry. So it's it's first of all Stopping and saying where do I react? How quickly do I react and things and are the things I react to real or are they illusionary, Right? So if you start to change the lens from which you view your experience of life, Then your experience will actually change and I gave this example Recently for a talk we did I thought it was a great Example even before my own very eyes, Right? I like when things happen where I'm like in real time able to say, Okay I see the illusion and I don't fall for it So this is one of those times Miriam our oldest daughter and I were you know, Kind of exploring the city We're still we've lived in New York ten years, But there's always things to discover rediscover and new things popping up and And that's what we love about living here I mean, There's it's hard in a lot of ways, But that's really like the fun aspect. It really feeds that curiosity. So you're in the East Village and I like what I'm with Miriam to let her be my ways Navigation Person so anyway, She's on her phone. It's like oh sex in the city the house where it was filmed, You know We're Carrie Bradshaw lived. It's just like six blocks from here. We were walking home. Anyway, I'm like, Okay. Yeah, Let's go We're walking in this that we're going down the block We finally get to the place and I see like six people walking in front of us and they're walking with intention So I'm thinking okay, They're going in the same place. We're going to Sure enough. There were a group of a party of four and there was a party of three and then it was me and Miriam so The first party kind of walked a little bit past the brownstone the other people the three of them She stood right away in front. She made it very clear she wanted to take a photograph there and Miriam and I were kind of just like oh is this it and then we were like already not that enamored because there was a Chain and there's a donation box and it's like telling you, You know If you take a picture here, You must give and it was already not inviting I'm like, Okay, This really isn't quite very sexy. In fact, It's unsexy. I don't see Aiden. I don't see mr. Big I don't see Carrie Bradshaw. Like this is not but anyway, We're like, Hey, We're here I'll take the picture but that woman's already standing there and she's like I'm taking a picture She made it very clear. She wanted to move back and she wasn't that nice. I noticed it we moved back, Whatever But we're just still talking about this donation box between us, Right? The person that got there first that party of four she said the same thing to them and he didn't like it So he starts to answer back and he calls her all kinds of names and he's like, You know you can say it in a nice way and he walks off kind of and he's upset and he's talking about her and Right away. She's looking at me for validation like she wouldn't mean make me feel make her feel better about this and I Saw her looking at me in my peripheral vision and instead I look at Miriam and she's looking at me and I'm thinking there's no Way, I'm engaging in this. This is so this is an illusion. I don't know what's happening here. It's not my movie It's not my story. Then that man comes back. He spits on the floor in front of her But it was really landed in front of us it was just like this thing out of a movie and it was so odd and Ridiculous that we didn't fall for it, Right? But I think it's an example of the illusionary world we live in and if you don't Choose your responses or even choose what to pay attention to then you're left with these negative feelings that kind of become Overwhelming and pervasive and you then don't think that they can be eradicated because they've been occupying your house for so long So our thoughts are always ours to change we can accept them we can reject them we can adjust them we can revise them We can even get rid of the pesky as freeloaders, But we have to understand that it comes down to how we perceive things Right. I think it's a very important point like you said often Anxieties and and and sadness are an accumulation. It's not usually not just one thought It's just maybe one thought over time. It's certainly an accumulation of thoughts And one of the things that I really try to train myself in and you know, Hopefully I'm successful at it But I think it's important to live life taking almost nothing seriously Let me be clear about that. There's there's probably Obviously what I what I do with my life. I take very seriously how I direct my life. I take it very seriously You take your life's work serious. My life's work seriously exactly because I think it is it's beyond me It's it's clearly very important and this is true for everyone every one of our listeners But we try not to take ourselves too seriously or other people's exactly or other people's not I would say there's a good more than 90% of The things that are happening in our lives should not cannot and this is one of the ways You have to train yourself to not take it seriously, You know the ego that part of us, Which is not our friend, Right? What's your t-shirt? Your ego is not your amigo. There you go The ego wants us to say oh my god, That is so important This person again just did that to you or that person just said that about you There's a whole if we if we really broke down and it might be a good exercise for many of our listeners You know today yesterday. What are the things that really upset you and and how many then would you put in the category absolutely important meaning they had to do with you your relationship with your family or your best friends or Your health they would they would really severely alter the quality of your life Let's just put it under that umbrella right? That's that's less than 10% right and and let's assess What are the what is the 90% that you allowed to upset you make you sad give you anxiety as freeloaders? And and and I think it's important. I often like to go at this beginning if the logical mind which is We give too many things that are completely unimportant Great levels of importance and unless you're training yourself to live more lightly I would say right which means take all those things that are not really that important now We take so seriously unless you're able to diminish the parts of what happens to you what comes into your life That you take seriously then. Yeah, Of course, Of course, You'll be you'll be upset very often You'll be disappointed very often. You'll be sad very often, But but but stupid things at the end of the day Well, It's stupid things. It's that 2080 rule so 20% of what you put your time and energy to create 80% of Your stress or your joy or it depends what that 20% is, Right? So if you spend 20% of your time with Ridiculous things that cause anxiety all these negative things then 80% of it is not going to be yeah And I would use it the other way which is that 80% of the things that we do take seriously Or not did so to be 20. I think it's even less than that Like I was saying, I think it's 90-10 But I think it's a really important point and I would ask all of our listeners to really take an opportunity To look at something happened this past week that upset you disappointed doesn't have to be, You know something that you know really took you off track, But you know enough and Then try to take that in in a true view of is this Part of the 10% of of the things that happened in my life that is so important or is it the silly 90%? So to this point You know roomies one of my favorite authors Poets and he wrote something called the guest house that I want to share it. It's just I can't read it enough even It's not the house guest. It's the guest house because when I read it the first time I was like Oh the house guest and I was like, No, No, It's a guest house This being human is a guest house Every morning a new arrival a joy a depression a meanness some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor Welcome and entertain them all even if they're a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture Still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight The dark thought the shame the malice meet them at the door laughing and invite them in Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond so we're meant to embrace every difficult situation that comes into our lives every interaction and Understand that they're there for our greatest good and really invite the guest house but the trick here is and where we get stuck again, Is that We forget that we all come from the same source of greatness, Right? So we underestimate we don't understand the enormity of our potential and we get distracted in taking the wrongs things. Seriously. You really understood Your potential if you could really see it and believe that you could get there You wouldn't waste a second with things that would hold you back or stunt you really but also I think I think this Poem also points to another very important spiritual teaching and that is That there's a purpose for our Upset there's a purpose for our sadness. There's a purpose for our our anxiety and At a foundational level Every moment of sadness every moment of anxiety is is telling us something It's to wake us up and not to keep us there Of course not to keep us there but to wake us up and I would say probably the most important calling of Anxiety of sadness even of depression is something that that I find to be a very beautiful teaching and that is that the only times you're confused anxious is When you're not in the right place Like I use the example. Oh, You're worried about the outcome. So there's a lack of certain. I mean a deep spiritual level I don't mean physically but but I use the example physically, You know We've all had those dreams or times when we woke up and like where am I? Right. Imagine if a person wakes up from a dream And he suddenly finds himself in an unknown house in an unknown city in an unknown village. Very scary. Oh my god Where's my family what's going on? Why did I get here? That's what our soul goes through almost every single day because if we're not living the truest part of our divine soul meaning spending our time and effort and mind in Bringing forth into this world and every one of us has their own task and their own job But I would call light and goodness But that could be said in general terms if we're not doing that or not doing that enough the soul is anxious It's like like that person who wakes up in the house that he doesn't recognize in the land that he or she doesn't recognize That's what we're doing to our soul if we are not through our lives Bringing it to its right place so I think it's really really important to understand and I think the Rumi poem really says it beautifully so beautifully that The reason you had a thought of anxiousness today The reason why you had to thought of sadness today an experience an emotional experience of sadness or fear or doubt Is because your soul is telling you like in Rumi said these are these are guides from above your soul is saying I'm not in my right place meaning I'm not doing with my life what needs to be done. I'm not manifesting with my life what needs to be. But you're saying because Obviously, This is just if if the feeling comes Unwarranted without like you just feel down or blue. No. No, I think this is no. No, There's some nice people feel sad about Legitimately feel sad. Yeah, I'm not talking about 10% and Also, What if you feel the person feel sad and it's really in their subconscious mind something happened the day before and they thought about it I mean, It's sometimes as I think there's layers and there's levels I think sometimes it's there to show us something that's in our subconscious mind that we don't have access to that can teach us something I think no matter what any negative emotion is a tool and An indicator to show you where you need to kind of turn left turn right veer a little bit differently I think that when it comes often and it's not really connected to anything and it's and it's something that's deeper Yes, You're no matter what your soul needs to learn I'm saying but sometimes The lessons are easier than others. Yeah, So there's more you can get to them more clearly understand Yes, But the the lesson but regardless regardless of whether it's something that that I can see the lesson from Or if it's not the message is always the same change there needs to be change. It needs to be movement Maybe we're we're spending too much of our thoughts time on the wrong the silly 90% I think it's really important because You know sometimes when we're feeling sad or we're feeling anxious We want to get through it right and reality is yes, Of course, You want to get through it but more importantly you want to Change from it in such a way where it doesn't have to come back or at least not to have to come back in the same Intensity, But but that line that that every emotion sorrow Anxious, They're all there to guide us and as like you said sometimes we have to go more deeply into our our Life and say, Okay. What are the things that are causing me honest with yourself, But sometimes it's just I'm just not spending enough time on the great 10% I'm not spending enough time Directing my life and my thoughts and my words, You know again We know people who can spend all day gossiping speaking about negative things and then then one day they're oh my god I'm so depressed Why what happened? Wow, It doesn't make any sense. Well, Actually it does when a person spends a lot of energy thoughts words Actions in creating chaos, Of course They're going to feel the weight of that chaos whether through anxiety or sadness or depression, Of course And again, I just want to be really careful to take a step back Of course, It doesn't mean that when a person is depressed and it's their fault And of course that there's many other layers to it. And of course, There are times to see a doctor of course, Of course, But but from the most of us it's important to realize that we are the effect of the sum-total of our thoughts words and actions and they do cause a heaviness if if they are the words and the thoughts and action that we're awakening are are of chaos or are of negativity a thousand percent I you mentioned Anxiety depression, Which I know we're gonna go a little bit more into but I also want to bring up doubt because I think that people don't necessarily understand this idea of Doubt they think that oh, You know Somebody else might be more knowledgeable or has more experience and while that may be true if you need a doctor to a doctor You need a lawyer go to a lawyer there's many times that we have a lot of the answers ourselves and we doubt ourselves and Mostly it's because we haven't cultivated a relationship with self because again We're too busy focused on external things what people think things that really don't grow enhance that connection. So Kabbalah's perspective on doubt and I want you to weigh in on this also So the Creator created the channel of light for every need would ever have for each person Meaning from the moment we're born the Creator sees every problem or lack that's going to exist for each of us and creates a conduit to fix or fill that need so whatever answers to anything we need we have and Rob Ellie Malik said that doubt and lack literally cut off that conduit that's meant to offer answers and solutions to a problem So when we doubt Ourselves when we doubt the presence of the Creator when we doubt our source. We basically cut off that That conduit or you can call it intuition So that then we do walk around very confused and not be able to clearly navigate through life right, I would I would that's a very important teaching and it's even bigger than what you said in that I would refer to as the danger of doubt and the idea is that like you said Everything that I need everything that you need everything that every single one of our listeners needs is ready for them In any process that one is going through whether it's work, Whether it's family, It's something important a person's trying to manifest to do but that divine Solution that divine wisdom that divine answer is the natural flow That can only be cut off by our doubt When I have doubt in myself when I have doubt in This Situation coming to a good end for me if I have doubt in my ability to manifest that that doubt actually stops that natural flow of light of Answers of direction of blessings because that's how the system set up. Everybody is supposed to experience goodness and blessings Unless we get in the way exactly so so literally so so imagine there's the natural state which is that within which we are completely connected to the source of everything and therefore all wisdom and all answers and all blessings are flowing towards us and Then doubt which means a person saying on a deeper level. If I say let's use an example. I'm starting a business, Right and You know things are going well, But then something happens and I said, Oh my god, Maybe this was a big mistake Oh my god, Maybe this is all gonna go to crumble to the ground and so on and so forth What the person is actually saying is Maybe I am completely disconnected from the light of the Creator. Maybe there is no blessing in this Maybe there is no flow of light in this and that thought Stops literally cuts literally cuts that flow Then can one can endeavor to try to build that that channel again all this to say that we need to More greatly appreciate the power of doubt and how Important it is for us to fight against that natural inclination But that one that has a very detrimental effect for anything We're trying to accomplish anything. We're trying to manifest. Isn't it also similar to the example of people saying? Oh, I'm not worthy of Love or I don't love myself enough. I'm not sure I did this all might even exist for me Maybe I'll be alone forever. And then they wonder why they're alone They've actually and the person could be literally around the corner. Absolutely. Absolutely I think it's a very important point because you'll almost never I mean again I don't want to over generalize and you're the relationship expert, But I don't know if you'll ever find somebody who actually believes Wholeheartedly that their soulmate is waiting for them that will not find their soulmate Almost always when you find somebody who is not in a relationship where it's not found there's someone it's because they doubt Right on some level at least if not completely that it's possible that they're there And that's another serving of that exactly exactly because if they're undeserving they obviously don't believe that it's there, Right? Well funnily enough I do meet with I just met with somebody this week and you know very successful, But the the issues are all in relationships and Right away. I'm like, Okay, Let's talk about what you believe in why you believe it and very often it's what you know, They didn't like in their father or their mother or What they saw and they're like, I'm not sure who I want to be in it, Right even that doubt I'm not sure what kind of husband I will be or want to be or what kind of father I will be or want to Be because they haven't they don't have a good idea around it, Right? And that just and people don't realize it They don't realize it like if I find the one then everything will come into place, But you've actually stopped it from happening Absolutely, And also with doubt I just thought this was really interesting just on a physical level Do you know that over time doubt can have effects like anxiety and depression and Serious physical ailments like weight gain high blood pressure and chronic fatigue and it's funny as we've talked about so many different topics on our podcast so far and It affects all the same things that we need to actually physically survive in this life right, Very interesting and you know it's one of the things that I also I think maybe most of us aren't completely aware that the the really the Connection between anxiety and depression That at least you know, The current science believes that anxiety precedes depression Developmentally, We're just think what you're saying. We're saying that anxiety precedes depression, Right? Anxiety most commonly beginning in late childhood or adolescence and depression a few years later in the mid 20s and Psychologist Michael Diapco says that the shared cornerstone of anxiety and depression is a perceptual process of overestimating the risk in a situation and Underestimating personal resources of coping which I thought was very interesting. That's what the cause of anxiety Yes. Yes and scientists find that the studies have found that anxiety Often proceeds and therefore leads to depression if it's not if it's not addressed Oh, But it makes sense because based on what you just said if a person is anxious there They don't know they're worried about the future of the outcome, Right? And then the second thing you said about anxiety Then it proceeds. No, No before that you said the two things that he found Well developmentally it proceeds right that first anxiety begins earlier in life and then it's followed by depression But basically if a person is anxious and they don't feel like they They're uncertain of the future and they don't ever feel like they can get out of it or there's a solution Of course, It's gonna lead to depression because basically that's a level of giving up Yes, And therefore and I like the way he puts it He says anxiety is a kind of looking to the future seeing dangerous things that might happen in the next hour day or weeks Depression is all that with the addition of I really don't think I'm going to be able to cope with this, Right? Maybe I'll just give it up. Right? It's the shutdown marked by mental cognitive or behavioral slowing and Therefore he says dr. David Barlow from Boston University says they're probably two sides of the same coin. Mm-hmm That makes a lot of sense. So and what's interesting was other than something else you said, Which I thought was really important you know that we have to be aware when we talk about the importance of breaking through anxiety and sadness and depression is that we Also are Influenced by others around us and therefore it's important to keep yourself in the company of people who are if you can who are happy Who are not, You know paying too much attention to the 90% of silliness and giving it too much of a standing in our lives but also the Opposite effect the fact that we have an effect on our friends and maybe more importantly on our children And it was really interesting piece by David French who talks about this. We know unfortunately, I mean the numbers are Kind of crazy where where the world is today in 2021 nearly 60% of teenage girls reported feeling persistent sadness and Overall 44% of teenagers reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness Which is an increase a significant increase in the past few years and in the later studies have found it to be getting even worse But so a lot again a lot of the studies into this are looking at social media Which I'm sure has a very big part, But he says the following This is actually from Professor Yapko's Research the largest group of depression or anxiety sufferers are the baby boomers Just the largest number the fastest growing group is their children. Yeah They can't teach kids what they don't know Plus their desire to raise perfect children puts tremendous pressure on their kids. They're creating a bumper crop of anxious depressed children So David French writes the following Just as there's a depressing familiarity to parents conversations about their children. There is a similar Familiarity to kids conversations with about their parents I spend much much of my time traveling to college campuses both secular and religious and I hear a similar refrain all the time Something happened to my parents Sometimes this they share stories about parents obsessed with their kids education more often I hear about parents consumed by politics and the ideas. I think that's interesting. They say something happened to my parents Yeah, Yeah, Because often parents are talking about the kids something's happening with my kids or something happened with my kids kids are also saying this about their parents and What he says teens do not exist on an island the connection between parental Emotional health and the emotional health of their kids is well established So he goes on again, And I think which is so important for us certainly those of us who are parents, But even those of us who are friends to realize that our Anxiety and or sadness and or depression not only has an influence on us but has an influence on everybody around us and maybe a part and this is something he posits that maybe a part of the pandemic of Anxiety and and sadness and and depression is also an effect of not of Parents not doing enough in their own lives to remove their anxiety and to take care of their sadness and depression And he says it might be worth asking a simple question How much fear and anxiety should we import into our lives and homes? Forget teens for the moment. Are we proving any more capable of handling the information age? It's a question I honestly ask myself. I know that my experiences online drift into my family life I know that my anxiety can radiate outward to affect my kids our own addictions to alcohol or drugs Yes, But also the information and outrage can devastate our families Now it's time for us to realize that our hurt can become our kids hurt And if we want to heal our children that process may well start by seeking the help we need to heal ourselves I often say to people they ask advice How do I tell my child about you know? Their parent if they're divorced that did that that that or about getting divorced like first you have to be clear about how you Feel about all these things so that you can choose your response and be the example for them Because they are gonna look to you first and foremost matter what they hear to see your response and then decide what there should Be over and over again I mean we've banned the word worry in our house Means we have a special little one a little bit more worried and we realize just by saying oh, I'm worried I'm gonna be late like even though we're not anxiety ridden. We don't even use that word, Right? It's really about being conscious on that level and I also met with another mom this week and she is very anxious. She's a very anxious parent, Especially and She can get sad and she's crying a lot and all kinds of things and I said, You know there's no shame and going on medication if you feel you need it because Your kids are watching your children are watching this and they're sponges right now They're at that age and before you know it It's gonna now be their movie and their life as adults and as parents and I would add You're speaking more about what the kids see in here what I like when with David French's piece He's talking about the fact that it we actually radiate Where we are so even if you don't even even if you don't even say a word about it and you don't show it who you are is Given over to your to your family to your friends to your children. So we have a certainly as parents as friends we have a responsibility to deal with with our own anxieties and Fears because they radiate know our home into our I'll give an example of radiate So in the morning not a morning person the first hour of my waking I like silence never get it But I'd really like just silence for an hour but anyway that's not the case and so I realized that I often look very very serious in the morning and I noticed it because I see our young is kind of looking at me for Something right and when I started to notice that that she was just staring at me thinking well, How what am I radiating? Like what am I putting off? Like I look really serious. I think I might even look a little bit like upset I hadn't had coffee yet. And then I then my next thought was am I teaching her? She needs coffee. Like maybe she shouldn't have coffee when she grows up and it's just it's like to that level, Right? And I know that that's extreme and maybe but I think that I mean, I really care about all these things So but it's on it's even on that level. Like what am I radiating? Even if I'm just neutral by the way What is my neutral face look like? It's very funny. I just reminded me of one of my more favorite moments in Seinfeld the show where where George is Sharing that he that he the way he gets people not to bother him is by always looking busy They say how do you look busy? He says if you looked annoyed and frustrated people think that you're busy She makes an annoyed and frustrated face and everybody thinks it's very busy. You don't bother him But yeah, I think it's a very important consciousness for us to have So actually I wanted to share another tool which I think is both so simple But it's a piece by Andrew McCarthy and he talks about walking is the worst-kept secret. I know It's rewards hide under every step And he says perhaps because we take walking so much for granted many of us often ignore its ample gifts Totally, So he has three or four quotes here, Which I'd like to show. How do we get into walking? Oh because just do it because it's one of the greatest ways to remove anxiety You didn't say that, Okay. Well, I just did now by the way Honestly, I never appreciated walking until I had the injury and I couldn't walk for nine months Every step is like I'm marveled by it So Hippocrates proclaimed that walking is man's best medicine And he said that walking would provided more than mere physical benefits And he said if you are in a bad mood go for a walk if you're still in a bad mood go for another walk He was alluding to what so many who came after him would attest now walking not only nourishes the body But also soothes the mind while it burns off tension and makes our troubles recede into a more manageable perspective Kierkegaard agreed when he confessed I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it Charles Dickens Was even more direct if I could not walk far and fast I think I would just explode and perish I can I honestly relate with every single word He just read and he's in three more which I think are also very powerful A good long walk or even one not so long begins to carve out space Between my thoughts that allows clarity to rise up through my shoes in a way that no other mode of transport does The writer Rebecca Solnit writes that walking is how the body measures itself against the earth And through such physical communion walking offers up its crowning gift by bringing us emotionally Even spiritually home to ourselves And one last one from Henry David Thoreau. I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees I love that. Do you want to go for a walk babe? For sure, Let's go right now, But we should probably end the podcast first So another very practical, But unfortunately often Underappreciated and not used enough tool to deal with sadness upset is to take a walk as as all of these great minds shared with us And in conclusion Eckhart Tolle, You know his great book power of now So no matter how strong and seemingly logical your doubts might be no matter how wronged you may feel by another person It's nothing compared to the power you have to choose These are the illusions and if we're not consciously aware of them before we know it We're not going to be able to move forward So I hope you found this video helpful. If you have any questions, Please feel free to reach out to me I'd love to hear from you in the comments below These are the illusions and if we're not consciously aware of them before we know it They will consume our thoughts you can reframe reset and decide to make your day what you want it to be Free from freeloaders beautiful and or take a walk as well. Yeah So I'd like to share a letter that we received from one of our listeners Reminding emoji hurts. That's cute. Yes, And actually We usually give out the email so you can keep sending it to the old email or you can send it to Monica and Michael at spiritually hungry dot life So Monica and Michael at spiritually hungry dot life, Or if you if you remember the old email address You could send it to there as well We're always inspired by your emails. I was excited to read them and often share them with our listeners So you have the opportunity to share some of your light and inspiration with thousands and thousands of people all over the world So I hope you are all inspired to send endless letters thoughts comments to Monica and Michael at Spiritually hungry dot life. So this is an email from Allison dear Monica. She doesn't say dear Mike At all, By the way, I'm not offended at all. I would rather write to Monica as well a dear Monica I just finished listening to your story regarding your surgery and was exactly what I needed to hear I've also lived a very active life. No regrets As a yoga teacher surfer paddleboarding coach in 2020. I had my first surgery on a broken wrist Four months later. I popped an ankle tendon the tendon healed after six months and a year later I was re-injured. I avoided surgery because of the fear and also an MRI showed nothing significant But I knew in my gut that something was wrong Finally with prayers the right surgeon came into my life. I knew exactly what was going on He had repaired this type of injury many times and confidently knew to be able to put things structurally right in my ankle again Since making the decision for surgery. I've bumped into many different opinions. Someone I greatly respected was totally against surgery Certain I could heal it alone and should avoid surgery at all cost Which is what got me into this pickle. I Tried the conservative approach for two plus years Someone else told me to get a second opinion, But another person said yay This is great news another said that great healings come from surgery My husband showed his support right away and has been amazing as I prepare my mind and body for this healing Thank you for sharing your words and story I feel so much connection with you with what you said, And I'm certain it was divinely sent to me I'm listening to your podcast and think that you that you two are special. I think it includes me Adorable and doing great things by sharing your gifts Also, How are you now question mark and do you recommend any specific crutches or whatnots? Thank you again emojis emojis Thank You Allison for sharing your story. We are wishing you with great healing in your surgery Are there any things you'd like to share with Allison? I shared so much on the podcast. I think in terms of recovery be patient cross train after crutches make sure you Under arms don't touch the crutch and also I used a scooter which was helpful, But don't go too fast on it Is it will tip over? Also, Don't walk too fast on crutches because You could fall but all of those things happen to me a few times over those bang. Oh god Those were hard, But but really be patient with your recovery be kind and really visualize that it's the creators hand in the operating room Healing you and fixing that and and what a blessing. What a blessing that we have that opportunity to be able to Fix it Thank You Monica. Thank you. Allison as always, Please make sure to you already said this. Oh, I'll say it again. I Did this party didn't say but I don't want to correct you Please make sure to share the word of this podcast this podcast with everybody that you know with all of your friends family And go to Apple podcast write five-star reviews and again share the word of the podcast with everybody, You know Continue this. I did say here we go Continue to say you're off. I'm gonna do questions Stereo questions comments stories inspirations topics that you'd like us to cover to Monica and Michael at spiritually hungry dot life Michael and Monica at spiritually hungry dot life. We look forward to hearing from you and sharing your stories and inspirations with the rest of our listeners as Always, We hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast as much as we enjoyed recording it stay spiritually hungry