Is the Story you are Telling Yourself Causing Greater Stress?

This month let’s dive in to exploring the first Principle of Reiki: “Just for Today, Do Not Worry.”

What if you could never worry again?

What would that be like?

Take a moment, right now, if you can, to imagine how you would feel if you released all worry.

Worry is essentially a fearful story you are telling yourself. Byron Katie would say “stop scaring yourself. ”

For me, as I imagine being free from worry, I feel a sense of greater peace coming over me, a sense of lightheartedness, leaving behind a sense of time-pressure, overwhelm and negative what ifs.

“Just for today, do not worry” is the one of the five principles of Reiki established by the founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui.

Relinquishing excessive worry is a life-changing practice.

A friend of mine who went through a very stressful time was imagining the worst of possible outcomes (as many of us have found ourselves doing, at times). And it was this “worry,” this negative imagining, that was responsible for creating some of (or perhaps all of) her distress.

As Byron Katie, the founder of The Work, contends ‘it’s our thoughts about things (and situations) that create stress, not the things themselves.’

After my friend got through the situation, she said it wouldn’t have occurred to her (without our conversations) that she could choose to not think (a.k.a. worry) about the troubling situation and instead put her attention elsewhere.

Through a change in where she placed her attention the stress was diminished and she emerged with a new appreciation for life and the power of awareness.

The fact is the mind cannot truly hold onto two contrary feelings/thoughts at one time. When you find yourself worrying unproductively you can switch gears by shifting into present moment awareness (tune into your senses/your body), by reminding yourself that you are truly okay right now, by thinking constructively (or taking action or journaling) about the issue or by focusing on something else entirely!

I invite you to invoke the first principle of Reiki “just for today I will not worry” and put it into practice and notice how different your day feels.

 

Wishing you a day filled with present moment awareness, gratitude and love!

Lisa

The Reiki Principles are written in the present tense and focus our consciousness in the moment. This is one of the reasons they are powerful.

 

Nearly ALL of our stress, fear, anxiety is future-based. When we move our awareness into the now we move into a place of presence and power, which is much better energy for fueling our goals, vision and productive daily actions and thoughts!

 

These aren’t truly affirmations. In my mind, they are designed to create contemplation and interrupt our habitual thought patterns. Through the principles we can into a more powerful place in our consciousness. I’ve modified some of the Reiki principles. And you’ll find many different versions online.

 

To learn more about the Reiki principles click here. Know that every day you have the opportunity to restart and reset. Revisiting the principles of Reiki is a way to do just that. Fuel a more positive way of interacting with life by working with the principles of Reiki.