Taking Back Control
By Susan deCaussin
Everything creates an imprint on your subconscious mind — an impression on your belief system. And, with enough repetition, you begin to accept these changes as your new, normal state of being.
Every day, I’m seeing more clients who are overwhelmed with anxiety, so I started to look for answers. I wanted to understand what changes have contributed to this dramatic shift.
Years ago, I made a personal decision to turn off the news programs and avoid drama. Instead, I chose positive, uplifting shows that would feed my soul. And, like many, I began recording them so that I could fast forward through the commercials. Sometimes, though, fast forward isn’t an option. It’s then that I noticed some common themes emerging.
In a typical commercial break, there are ads for insurance, prescription drugs, fast food restaurants, home security systems, etc. You get the idea. On the surface, it may seem quite benign and unremarkable. But, what are the underlying messages being conveyed to our subconscious minds?
The two most predominant messages are those of fear and lack. Fear is the theme of the advertisements that make you feel like you need more control in your life. Lack is conveyed in the commercials that make you feel incomplete and incapable of happiness without their product or service.
These companies want you to believe that their products will make you as blissful as the smiling actors in their ads. And, there’s an entire industry based on threats of cybercrime and the need to insure against unexpected circumstances. Supposedly, if you drive the right car, wear the right clothes, take the right prescriptions and ensure everything you have, life will be perfect, right? Not exactly.
In addition to being bombarded by commercials, news programs are continually sensationalizing world events — providing even more fuel for our fear-based society. It’s no wonder that so many are feeling anxious and unhappy!
When you’re more connected to this earthbound experience than your state of spiritual consciousness, you begin to search outside of yourself for the answers to happiness and peace. Everything you need, however, is found by turning inward. The image that immediately comes to my mind is of a person frantically looking for the reading glasses that are sitting on top of their heads.
So how do you cope in a world that’s drowning in messages of fear and lack? To create positive change in your life, you don’t need to change the world — you need to change YOU!
When fearful, you’re living in the future instead of being fully present in the now by allowing the “what if’s” to diminish your sense of control. Avoid negative, fear-based chatter and return to living in the present moment.
And, when your happiness is based on acquiring “stuff”, you’re constantly chasing shadows, but never feeling complete. By focusing on goodness, you’ll train yourself to gravitate toward it in all situations, and you’ll maintain a vibration that will attract more of the same into your life.
Take back control. Don’t allow fear and lack to determine your quality of life. It’s never about what happens to you … it’s always about how you choose to react, and where you decide to place your attention.
Namaste’, Susan
