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Think back for a moment on how you felt reading about
the six realities:
~ A challenging type of illness
~ A challenging type of patient
~ Painful, sometimes incomprehensible, inner worlds
~ A sense of chaos
~ The Rollercoaster of emotion
~ The Seesaw of indecision
Now, how would your experience of absorbing those realities
been different if you knew you had the power of choice?
What if in this very moment you decided not to project
your fears into the future any longer, not to let the
past block your dreams, not to let the illness run your
life, but instead you chose to believe that you can
consciously and deliberately shape your own reality?
What if you believed that suffering was not the only
response to challenging conditions? What if you could
change your world? What if there were other paths? What
if you could empower what you wished for? What if...
Imagination always presents alternative options, so
let us go through the exercise of imagining the very
opposite of the grim realities you are faced with today.
As you read through these "what ifs," see
if you can gently notice what happens in you as you
contemplate these better-feeling possibilities.
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What if:
~ Your relative's illness was stabilized with
the right medication?
~ Your relative was assuming responsibility
for his/her illness?
~ The trauma had increased your self-esteem,
your self-reliance, your sense of integrity,
your courage?
~ The trauma had shattered your perceptions
of your own limitations?
~ The trauma had enhanced your ability to be
aware, to be compassionate towards yourself?
~ The trauma had transformed your family into
a solid unit of closely connected and deeply
caring human beings?
~ All the children in your family had been
given an opportunity to witness compassion,
courage, and cooperation?
~ Your friends felt a greater heartfelt connection
with you because you gave them an opportunity
to support you?
~ People in your community had a chance to
witness cooperation to find solutions to seemingly
insurmountable problems?
Any other "what if's" you can think
of?
Choosing a Positive Vision...
"As you are focusing on have not you are
not focusing on have, " says Jani King.
"Whatever you put your focus or energy
into is what you will draw to you"
All of the "what if's" express affirmative
visions for best possible outcomes of your family's
encounter with the trauma of mental illness.
What are your affirmative visions for your
family? yourself?
What would you want to say to others who might
be struggling to believe that they can choose
to focus on an affirmative vision?
What makes it easy or hard to believe that
suffering is not the only response to challenging,
painful circumstances?
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