On changing one's focus

[VinceG]

There's an even more simplistic technique. Breathe.

Throw all of your attention into breathing. Take deep, full, complete breaths. Keep breathing until you feel better.

So simple, but so easy to forget.

[Criseyde]

There's stuff I want to do related to my experiment, and people I want to respond to in this thread. However, I am taking a temporary break from it since I seem to be coming down with something, and being sick just messes me up mentally. Oh well. Back in a few days.

[Criseyde]

I've been thinking of a few "premonitions" I've had recently. Sometimes I know that things will happen (or are happening) before I "find out" through mundane means (like somebody telling me). Sometimes these things are VERY specific. I had this happen just a couple weeks ago, and the strange thing is that I forgot about it, and then remembered it and wondered how the h e double hockey sticks I could ever have forgotten, because it's so specific and unlikely, but I was right.

Did I create that with my thoughts? Well, it was so fleeting that I consider it unlikely. And when I get these little premonitions, it's like they come into my mind from nowhere. I've had too many weird and bizarre creatrix-y experiences to say that I'm not manifesting things and everything is random. But I also can't explain things like this with the "your thoughts manifest reality" model. Maybe I should start looking into the "it's not your thoughts, dummy" school of, er, thought.

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

I've been thinking of a few "premonitions" I've had recently. Sometimes I know that things will happen (or are happening) before I "find out" through mundane means (like somebody telling me). Sometimes these things are VERY specific. I had this happen just a couple weeks ago, and the strange thing is that I forgot about it, and then remembered it and wondered how the h e double hockey sticks I could ever have forgotten, because it's so specific and unlikely, but I was right.

That's intuition (your inner guidance as Abraham call it). It usually hits you out of the blue, can be vague or very detailed, but it's always right and you know it, you feel that it's right. If it's unimportant stuff you might forget it rather quickly. Intuition is guidance in the moment, no need to remember it or drag it around.

Did I create that with my thoughts? Well, it was so fleeting that I consider it unlikely. And when I get these little premonitions, it's like they come into my mind from nowhere. I've had too many weird and bizarre creatrix-y experiences to say that I'm not manifesting things and everything is random. But I also can't explain things like this with the "your thoughts manifest reality" model. Maybe I should start looking into the "it's not your thoughts, dummy" school of, er, thought.

Well, do you really have to figure it all out? Do you really have to pin everything what happened down to a single thought? Can you ever do that? Because in finding the cause of events you will create the same situation again because that's where your focus is. And you can't go back anyway, because what happened just happened, in the mean time you have expanded, your point of view is differently.

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by VinceG

There's an even more simplistic technique. Breathe.

Throw all of your attention into breathing. Take deep, full, complete breaths. Keep breathing until you feel better.

So simple, but so easy to forget.

That's right. By doing so you might even forget where you are currently calibrating.

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by Reefs

Well, do you really have to figure it all out? Do you really have to pin everything what happened down to a single thought? Can you ever do that? Because in finding the cause of events you will create the same situation again because that's where your focus is. And you can't go back anyway, because what happened just happened, in the mean time you have expanded, your point of view is differently.

I want to figure it out!

[Criseyde]

I'm having a problem. I've gotten myself into a serious bind regarding food and my skin, and I don't know how to get out of it. (Besides, well, "change your focus" but seriously wtf guys...)

I've basically painted myself into a corner where I feel like the only "safe" foods to eat are brown rice and vegetables. Seriously, I can't think of anything else that I regard as "safe." I still eat other things, don't worry, I have to, but I stress about it. How have I done this? Well, I have struggled with acne for years. When I was 17, it went from very mild, occasional, and not at all atypical to fairly severe within a matter of a few months. Part of me -- the part that's into IM and spiritual woo -- thinks it's obvious that it was caused by psychic disturbance and my own obsessive focus, and it should be fairly easy to let go of.

I've also been pretty lucky in that I've been on a medication for it that completely cleared up my skin. For years. And this isn't a medication that your skin "gets used to" after a while -- it's a retinoid, I've heard of people using those for 20+ years without having it stop working. It's just that, maybe a year and a half ago, I started getting really interested in clearing my skin up without the medication. So guess what happened? It stopped working. So I went back to the derm and got put on a stronger retinoid, which worked GREAT! for a few months... and then... it stopped working! Gee.

So due to all of that, I worry about food triggers, and since I haven't actually been able to find a food trigger (despite eliminating sugar, dairy, and wheat -- sugar was the only one that made a difference, but didn't cure it), I'm just afraid of food. Also, my skin is not doing awesomely. (Wonder why?)

I had late class today and when I got home, there was pizza. I haven't eaten pizza in months. Well, I ate it, and I really feel like I should be able to eat pizza once every few months and not die. But it sort of made me want to cry. That's not a normal reaction to pizza.

I think I need to be whacked with a clue by four. I know I'm going to figure this out someday and it's going to be good, because to be perfectly honest, this is the very issue that even got me started with IM, and that's how I got involved with this site -- by lurking in the IM forum -- and lots of other really amazing things have come out of this site for me, and I know that I did create a solution that worked for a LONG time, so I should be able to do it again. I know all these things. I'm just very like... displeased with myself right now.

----------

Okay, that said, I've actually been able to do some nifty things. I worked on taking responsibility for the job situation, and as soon as I did that, I started seeing more job listings for things I'd actually like to do. And, ssandra is letting me practice some skills by editing articles for her website. (I hope it's okay for me to say that here.) And I continue to see license plates for whatever state catches my fancy. And I came up with some ideas for freelancing a bit, and I have an interview tomorrow. So there is cool stuff and I am happy about it.

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

I'm having a problem. I've gotten myself into a serious bind regarding food and my skin, and I don't know how to get out of it. (Besides, well, "change your focus" but seriously wtf guys...)

I've basically painted myself into a corner where I feel like the only "safe" foods to eat are brown rice and vegetables. Seriously, I can't think of anything else that I regard as "safe." I still eat other things, don't worry, I have to, but I stress about it. How have I done this? Well, I have struggled with acne for years. When I was 17, it went from very mild, occasional, and not at all atypical to fairly severe within a matter of a few months. Part of me -- the part that's into IM and spiritual woo -- thinks it's obvious that it was caused by psychic disturbance and my own obsessive focus, and it should be fairly easy to let go of.

I've also been pretty lucky in that I've been on a medication for it that completely cleared up my skin. For years. And this isn't a medication that your skin "gets used to" after a while -- it's a retinoid, I've heard of people using those for 20+ years without having it stop working. It's just that, maybe a year and a half ago, I started getting really interested in clearing my skin up without the medication. So guess what happened? It stopped working. So I went back to the derm and got put on a stronger retinoid, which worked GREAT! for a few months... and then... it stopped working! Gee.

So due to all of that, I worry about food triggers, and since I haven't actually been able to find a food trigger (despite eliminating sugar, dairy, and wheat -- sugar was the only one that made a difference, but didn't cure it), I'm just afraid of food. Also, my skin is not doing awesomely. (Wonder why?)

I had late class today and when I got home, there was pizza. I haven't eaten pizza in months. Well, I ate it, and I really feel like I should be able to eat pizza once every few months and not die. But it sort of made me want to cry. That's not a normal reaction to pizza.

I think I need to be whacked with a clue by four. I know I'm going to figure this out someday and it's going to be good, because to be perfectly honest, this is the very issue that even got me started with IM, and that's how I got involved with this site -- by lurking in the IM forum -- and lots of other really amazing things have come out of this site for me, and I know that I did create a great solution that worked for a while, so I should be able to do it again. I know all these things. I'm just very like... displeased with myself right now.

----------

Okay, that said, I've actually been able to do some nifty things. I worked on taking responsibility for the job situation, and as soon as I did that, I started seeing more job listings for things I'd actually like to do. And, ssandra is letting me practice some skills by editing articles for her website. (I hope it's okay for me to say that here.) And I continue to see license plates for whatever state catches my fancy. And I came up with some ideas for freelancing a bit, and I have an interview tomorrow. So there is cool stuff and I am happy about it.

Hello Lovely! If you like, I think I can get me and Midnite together and do a healing on you, and try to figure out what's up with your skin. Your intuition that it's spiritual is incredibly prescient and that's why I think it'd be great if we could tune in and try to figure it out. We did awesome on Angela's hernia, so I think you'd be a piece of cake to figure out!

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by VinceG

Hello Lovely! If you like, I think I can get me and Midnite together and do a healing on you, and try to figure out what's up with your skin. Your intuition that it's spiritual is incredibly prescient and that's why I think it'd be great if we could tune in and try to figure it out. We did awesome on Angela's hernia, so I think you'd be a piece of cake to figure out!

Hi Vince, thanks so much for the offer. Midnite already tried, but I honestly think that I overrode it by being silly. But if you're willing to have a go, I'd appreciate it.

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

Hi Vince, thanks so much for the offer. Midnite already tried, but I honestly think that I overrode it by being silly. But if you're willing to have a go, I'd appreciate it.

What did he say? There's no 'overriding' Spirit. The avenue's always there, you just have to choose to take it. There's never any time limits because there's no such thing as time.

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by VinceG

What did he say? There's no 'overriding' Spirit. The avenue's always there, you just have to choose to take it. There's never any time limits because there's no such thing as time.

Er, well, then I guess I chose not to take it by being silly? He said that he opened and cleaned my chakras and that they were already pretty good, and he focused on the skin and also on hormone-controlling organs like the uterus/ovaries. And he said that he got a message, "she wants to be pretty so we are making her pay attention to her face," so he sent the message "she is already pretty, please stop helping with that." And then he told me to keep doing good affirmations.

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

Er, well, then I guess I chose not to take it by being silly? He said that he opened and cleaned my chakras and that they were already pretty good, and he focused on the skin and also on hormone-controlling organs like the uterus/ovaries. And he said that he got a message, "she wants to be pretty so we are making her pay attention to her face," so he sent the message "she is already pretty, please stop helping with that." And then he told me to keep doing good affirmations.

Your body's got a mind of its own. It's going to work with you to try to be what you want it to be. If you pay too much attention to something, that something will start working in overdrive to help you out. If you put a lot of thought energy, and a lot of action into something, your body's interference will send it in the opposite direction. Try one or the other. Either hold the thought energies in your head through affirmations, OR do the skin creams, don't do both. Either apply the medications with a disaffected air, or do the affirmations and forget about the creams. Since you want to quit the creams, I would choose the affirmations.

Look at it this way. Your body doesn't really know what 'pretty' is. It only goes by what you tell it. If you don't affirm things like "my skin is clear and translucent," then your body isn't going to know the difference.

[ZephyrusX]

Bah. I wish I could give you a hug.

I can't really give you any advise as I don't really know anything about 'woo'.

I can create a mental image of Maya dressed up as Kittendorf for you if that will make you happy though.

Originally Posted by Criseyde

l

I had late class today and when I got home, there was pizza. I haven't eaten pizza in months. Well, I ate it, and I really feel like I should be able to eat pizza once every few months and not die. But it sort of made me want to cry. That's not a normal reaction to pizza.

Its nice to hear updates on your life though. I don't usually venture forth into this forum

Okay, that said, I've actually been able to do some nifty things. I worked on taking responsibility for the job situation, and as soon as I did that, I started seeing more job listings for things I'd actually like to do. And, ssandra is letting me practice some skills by editing articles for her website. (I hope it's okay for me to say that here.) And I continue to see license plates for whatever state catches my fancy. And I came up with some ideas for freelancing a bit, and I have an interview tomorrow. So there is cool stuff and I am happy about it.

[Reefs]

@Faerie Queene (Modie)

What are your feelings about it? How does your skin make you feel?

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by VinceG

Your body's got a mind of its own. It's going to work with you to try to be what you want it to be. If you pay too much attention to something, that something will start working in overdrive to help you out. If you put a lot of thought energy, and a lot of action into something, your body's interference will send it in the opposite direction. Try one or the other. Either hold the thought energies in your head through affirmations, OR do the skin creams, don't do both. Either apply the medications with a disaffected air, or do the affirmations and forget about the creams. Since you want to quit the creams, I would choose the affirmations.

Look at it this way. Your body doesn't really know what 'pretty' is. It only goes by what you tell it. If you don't affirm things like "my skin is clear and translucent," then your body isn't going to know the difference.

Well, that's what Midnite said. I had never quite looked at it in that way before. But you make a good point.

Originally Posted by ZephyrusX

Bah. I wish I could give you a hug.

I can't really give you any advise as I don't really know anything about 'woo'.

I can create a mental image of Maya dressed up as Kittendorf for you if that will make you happy though.

Its nice to hear updates on your life though. I don't usually venture forth into this forum

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Reefs

@Faerie Queene (Modie)

What are your feelings about it? How does your skin make you feel?

Stressed!!

I really kind of despise my skin. I know that's not helping anything, but how do I not?

[truant]

You get what you concentrate on. Worrying about your skin is the process that sustains the outbreaks. To get rid of it, stop thinking about it. You already know this, but clearly you haven't fully grasped your role in the process.

Your experience is literally the sum total of your thoughts and beliefs. If you remove the 'bad complexion' program from your repertoire, the problem will go away. This is how cures work: they reassure you enough that you can let go. You stop thinking about the problem because you believe the cure will work and voila, the problem disappears. It's been removed from your thoughts. You've stopped obsessing about it.

If you find going cold turkey too difficult, you can use visualization to help, just don't get caught up in the process. Spend five or ten minutes visualizing your face clearing up, imagining how good it feels to have a wonderful complexion. Then let it go. Trust that the process is going to work. Stop thinking about it. Stop obsessing about it. Don't be discouraged if you don't see immediate results: looking for results is the process that delays results so it's better if you forget to look for them.

Looking for the reason why you're manifesting your skin condition can be useful to help you find and release blocks but it isn't necessary. When you can do anything you want, digging up dirt looks a bit like a masochist's pastime.

Good luck.

[ZephyrusX]

I can't for the life of me remember where I got this from, but I've read some where that some people who have been told that they are smart all their lives tend to be more risk adverse and prone to discouragement as the possibility of failure basically collides with their source of self-esteem. So I guess something like, 'If I fail, I must not really be smart! Oh no! I'll just avoid doing this. I feel safely smart again!' Does that resonate with you at all?

I have the same problem with the lack of ambition. I don't know if I'm just trying to avoid risks to protect my self from failure or if I just... don't want to do anything...

BTW: I mean this in the most positive way, but you are a bloody dork. H E double hockey sticks? You are adorable.

Originally Posted by Criseyde

But this was good because I realized something, a serious negative personality trait. I get discouraged easily. (Warning, possible bragging ahead:--) I've always been smart, and many things come to me easily. I never learned to stick to something in order to acquire a skill or some knowledge, because I'm able to pick so many things up quickly. I'm also an Enneagram 7: "spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, and scattered." I mention this because, for me, it's a really good descriptor -- I have almost all the traits listed. So it's usually pretty easy for me to come up with a new activity or a "better" idea, and abandon the old one.

[Sbonn]

I really cannot add more to what Truant and others have said here, except that you are a wonderful, beautiful person.

Beware girly stuff ahead

Take time out to pamper yourself if you have not been doing so.

Light some candles, jump into a tub of bubbles and play some music you love and just soak and drift... I do not know what your stress levels are like right now, but this a great way to de-stress.

Show appreciation for your skin when looking in the mirror look past the break out and really see you and how beautiful you are both inside and out.

As for something practical you might consider... you could try herbal, chemical free skin products. Simply Divine Botanicals face care products I use and like a lot. The foaming skin wash she created I LOVE very much and her Creme de Rose face cream too. They sell samples that are very very very ( did I say very?) reasonably priced to check out their products. The first ingredients on the list of all creates is Unconditional Love & Gratitude and she also Reiki-energizes them too.

Echoing from above
Do visualizations and give your mind something else to focus on

Big HUGS and Be gentle with yourself.
Sbonn

[Criseyde]

Thanks so much, guys!! You all are awesome.

I know I need to just focus on other things, and my skin will sort itself out. truant, I'm going to do what you suggested because I think it will help me change the pattern that I'm stuck in right now. I have tried it before, obviously, but I've never stuck with it long enough to see much change. I have to remember that I'm working on really entrenched habitual patterns, and be patient. I tend to worry about it automatically, so I think I'm going to have to set up a mental distraction or something when my mind starts to "go there."

That said, I managed to change a SERIOUSLY entrenched pattern (regarding romantic relationships) a lot like this one, and my reality (and anxiety levels ) reflects that change. I had a lot of good help for that one, but now I know how to do it, so I'm sure I can do this too.

I'm feeling a lot better about it now. Hugs to all of you!

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

Stressed!!

I really kind of despise my skin. I know that's not helping anything, but how do I not?

Well, stressed is too general.

The reason I've asked is because everything what is manifesting is accompanied and preceded by an emotion.

That means if you are stressed about your skin right now that feeling of stress was there long before your skin condition manifested. The skin condition only amplifies the feeling of stress you've already felt.

And you don't have to be worried about your skin to develop a skin condition. You could be insecure about how others see you and think that you are not very likeable and get stressed out over that and then it can manifest in a skin condition. And that would be your self manifested proof that you are not very likeable.

So you have to find that feeling place. How did you feel before that? What kind of feelings you had before did that skin condition exaggerate?

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by Reefs

Well, stressed is too general.

The reason I've asked is because everything what is manifesting is accompanied and preceded by an emotion.

That means if you are stressed about your skin right now that feeling of stress was there long before your skin condition manifested. The skin condition only amplifies the feeling of stress you've already felt.

And you don't have to be worried about your skin to develop a skin condition. You could be insecure about how others see you and think that you are not very likeable and get stressed out over that and then it can manifest in a skin condition. And that would be your self manifested proof that you are not very likeable.

So you have to find that feeling place. How did you feel before that? What kind of feelings you had before did that skin condition exaggerate?

I've never felt "unlikeable" but I've written some on this forum about how I felt "unlovable." But thanks for asking about this, because I think I've put something together that I never thought of before.

I did a session with Angela earlier in the summer, and we found out that my big limiting belief is "I am alone." So I've wondered if a skin condition is just a physical manifestation of THAT -- you know, something that repels others?

But then, I also had this belief that no guy would ever be interested in me unless he wanted sex -- like, the ONLY reason ANY man would ever pay attention to me would be if he wanted sex (I know it sounds kind of misandrist -- I didn't come up with it on my own). And I didn't like that. So I was sort of afraid of my looks/sexuality, because it seemed like it could end in a really miserable situation for me, if I was able to attract some guy and he only cared about having sex with me. So I've never really liked it when guys focused on my looks -- it was nice, I guess, the flattery, but I also kind of felt like it meant I had nothing else to offer.

It sounds really conceited but I was actually stressed out about being pretty. And I was also stressed out about not being pretty, because if I wasn't pretty, and guys want someone pretty to have sex with, then I would never be able to have a relationship, even if it wasn't the kind of relationship I wanted to have -- because despite all of these beliefs that kind of made me wary of men, I was still attracted to them.

I don't really believe that any man who ever pays attention to me is just trying to get under my skirts any more, but I still don't like it that much when they only pay attention to how I look. That's why I changed my last avatar, too much attention and it made me uncomfortable (plus, having my face SO clear isn't comfortable for me either, since I've dealt with stalking in the past). I don't mind flirting, but I got some requests to talk outside of the forum and it sort of triggered the "I'm just a pretty face to you" thing. So I'm obviously not completely over that.

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

It sounds really conceited but I was actually stressed out about being pretty. And I was also stressed out about not being pretty, because if I wasn't pretty, and guys want someone pretty to have sex with, then I would never be able to have a relationship, even if it wasn't the kind of relationship I wanted to have -- because despite all of these beliefs that kind of made me wary of men, I was still attracted to them.

I can't possibly see how you could be stressed out over not being pretty. Cuz it just plain isn't true! Being stressed out because you are pretty, on the other hand, that I can see. Because, well, you are! You know, pretty. You.

Did I mention that you're pretty? I seem to have forgotten.

That's why I changed my last avatar, too much attention and it made me uncomfortable (plus, having my face SO clear isn't comfortable for me either, since I've dealt with stalking in the past).

Am I making you uncomfortable? AmIamIamIamIamIamI????

Hmm, what you could do is get famous like Lady Gaga and go around with a crack team of Israeli bodyguards who whisk you in and out of places like a ghost so no one ever knows where you are.

I want a crack team of Israeli bodyguards. When they're not harassing innocent people for looking at me funny, they can wash the dishes!

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by VinceG

I can't possibly see how you could be stressed out over not being pretty. Cuz it just plain isn't true! Being stressed out because you are pretty, on the other hand, that I can see. Because, well, you are! You know, pretty. You.

Did I mention that you're pretty? I seem to have forgotten.


Am I making you uncomfortable? AmIamIamIamIamIamI????

No, you're a cutie pie.

Hmm, what you could do is get famous like Lady Gaga and go around with a crack team of Israeli bodyguards who whisk you in and out of places like a ghost so no one ever knows where you are.

I want a crack team of Israeli bodyguards. When they're not harassing innocent people for looking at me funny, they can wash the dishes!

Good idea, let's get right on manifesting that for both of us.

---

So... I'm trying not to get too excited too soon, or anything, but guys, I AM REALLY EXCITED. I saw pianoperformer suggest in another thread to just send love to a problem that you're having, and then stop worrying about it. I do that a lot for people, and it works a treat to smooth my relationships out, so I don't know why I never thought of trying it for other things. But I've been doing it for two (2!!) days on my skin, and it's already getting better. In a way that's quite shocking, actually. And I sort of feel like I shouldn't prematurely get excited, but getting really excited and telling everybody worked really well on the license plates, so maybe..?

I'm going to start to do it to my job search too.

[Balbrae]

Originally Posted by Criseyde

My personal goal for the summer is to change my focus.

My focus has always been on analysis. I do it to myself, to events, to other people, to my relationships, to world affairs... I even graduated cum laude with a degree in it: English Literature.

My new focus is going to be on creation. I don't just want to create things like writing and gainful employment for myself (although I do want to do those things), I also want to create excitement and adventure and Really Wild Things for me and for everyone else in my life.

The first thing I am going to look at is my thought patterns. It seems like focus is pretty habitual, so I'm going to need to be aware of my thinking and remind myself what to focus on. I'm not going to stop analyzing, I'm just going to remind myself not to spend a lot of time "analyzing" (read: obsessing over) things that are not helping me create what I want, or are actually doing the opposite.

I might use this thread for journaling purposes; I haven't decided yet. BUT, personal success stories/ideas/tips/questions/answers/profound jewels of wisdom are totally welcome! And anyone who wants to join me and post in this thread about their focus-changing goals is totally welcome to do that as well.

Hi, Crisyde:

Yes, I am down with the whole analytical-trap scenario you describe. It goes with my profession of practicing law. It is highly prized and valued by clients, but it is a real albatross for the lawyer who wants to develop his or her ability to consciously manifest dreams. "Paralysis by analysis" was coined as a phrase for a reason! One way to get away from analysis is to use affirmations that displace critical thoughts. While we may not be able to stop our thoughts, we can surely decide which ones get top billing. My paralysis by analysis is decreasing rapidly with the use of affirmations and visualization. Hope your efforts continue to work for you!