Almost no one knows this.
This summer I had to have emergency surgery. When I was on the gurney waiting to be rolled in, I remembered that the week before I had been told a story of a young and healthy person who had a routine operation and died. I panicked.
I don’t know if this is based on science or a myth, but I’ve heard that people who enter the operating room with negative thoughts have a higher chance of dying during the operation or staying in a coma.
I don’t know if this is based on science or a myth, but I’ve heard that people who enter the operating room with negative thoughts have a higher chance of dying during the operation or staying in a coma. Luckily I have not had many operations in my life, and before the anaesthesia I always try to think of something positive.
As I was saying, as soon as I remembered that macabre story they had told me, I began to get very nervous and have other similar thoughts. The law of attraction, they call it. If you are thinking about negative things, your brain offers you more images like that. Cutting the vicious circle of a train of thought is very difficult and it has taken me years of personal growth, reading, therapy and painful learning. Today I will share with you what works best for me and what I put into practice in that moment of anxiety on the gurney about to be taken to the operating room. I had nothing with me, only me and the power of my mind.
I had nothing with me, only me and the power of my mind.
I just started feeding my brain other images that put me in a good mood. I call them my whys.
The first step is to realize what I am doing and tell myself that I am doing this voluntarily. They have told me a story, but I am the one who chooses to put it at the forefront of my thoughts. Once I understand and accept it (this with practice is becoming easier and faster) I tell myself that in the same way I can choose to think of something that makes me happy. My whys. Imagine the photo gallery of your mobile. You have photos with friends, with family, on vacation, laughing, eating, enjoying your free time. So are my whys, and I categorize them as memories and future events. Memories are those beautiful, pleasant, funny mementos that make me smile and make me feel happy. Future events are those goals that I visualize often (more on this subject another day if you want) and that I am working to fulfill. I created this mental gallery that is like an archive that I can always visit. And best of all, when I visit the first image, now that I have a lot of practice, the others come without me having to make an effort.
At first it’s hard, but like everything else in this life, it’s a matter of creating the habit. And a habit is created in 21 days, so I propose the following: from today and for 21 days, set an alarm to practice this exercise for 3 to 5 minutes daily. You can do it while you’re on the toilet, so don’t tell me you don’t have time! At the end of this challenge please tell me how it went, how you felt, what has changed for you. I am already looking forward to knowing your results!
