Look Good, Feel Better

In a society where many are broken with feelings of sadness or despair, people often look to others to find happiness. Happiness is not something that can be found anywhere in the world, although a beautiful setting on the ocean can momentarily allow happiness to ferment. While on vacation we are often lost in the moment, but When the vacation is over happiness is lost to the daily grind.

Treating cancer patients on a daily basis allows me to witness the yearning for feeling good. Scared of what outcomes may bring, patients are often met with a choice…they can choose to worry about when they are going to die or how they are going to live. Those who worry about the preceding will undoubtedly return with more to worry about. Those who learn to live, find something magical in the radiation treatment room. Happiness I found in the quiet room, where they are left alone with their thoughts and their maker. While outcomes of a cure are not guaranteed happiness is. Happiness is often found when the patient looks into the mirror and accepts themselves for they are and chooses to live as if there was no tomorrow.

Witnessing the sadness, we inadvertently offer a program to the saddened individual. A program which, like the vacation in Hawaii offers, gives the person an opportunity to feel good. The program, Look Good Feel Better sponsored by The American Cancer Society, offers an afternoon of pampering and fellowship among other survivors. Sadly, only one percent of them will see a new outlook on life, taking away a feeling of happiness during the most difficult time. One percent of them I’ll apply what they learn during this program, into their daily lives. One percent will find beauty within and project it outward into their daily lives.

Just as Look Good Feel Better offers hope, we all have this opportunity of seeing ourselves as we truly are. Sadly, as in this small group of survivors, most will return to their fear-filled lives and begin decaying as before. What happens? As human nature and our conditioned response to our daily lives, we believe that our answers we seek re on the outside. The answers are not Ono the outside, but have always been on the inside. We need only go inward to seek happiness.

Happiness is not something we can find inward or outward, but it is something. Simply choose to believe. It is that simple. Accept ourselves for who we are, where we are in life and trust that all will be good. Our time is not guaranteed, but our happiness is…we just need to accept it…even during the darkest of times.

Stepping into the Canvas accepting ourselves as we are. Not knowing where we are going in life, what legacy will be left, or who we truly are, we can accept a simple truth of being Loved by the divine. Be accepted for being true to our ourselves. The most difficult part is looking beyond the mirror, stripping delusion of the flesh.

“It is better to be accepted for being who they do not want vs. being accepted for who they want.”

Broken Canvas

After eighteen motor vehicle accidents, two motorcycle accidents, three bicycle versus automobile accidents, four instances of hanging from a roof for dear life, one instance of sliding under a moving car, one bear encounter, two bull shark encounters, and over eighty-four broken bones, I finally noticed that maybe it was time to change my ways.

Some would say that I was clumsy or that a black cloud followed me wherever I went. The latter of the two is more accurate but who do you think created that black cloud? It was my self-sabotage creating my misery. While I have heard that thoughts are influenced by past traumas in life, the easiest answer is this…I attached negative emotions to everything around me and created more misery in my life. As soon as I chose happiness, all was good.

At the time of awakening seeing only the positive in all things, as if I could see the silver-lining in every cloud. While the hallucinations have subsided, paradise is still a reality. What did I do? Did I change anything? Merely my thoughts. My thoughts controlled everything: my personal life, my Love life, my reality. When I chose happiness my life did somersaults…for the better.

Making the choice to stand firmly in what I believe to be true was not easy. When first declaring my coming out, not what you think, people challenged me daily in hopes of breaking my spirits. We will touch on this subject another day, as it is one of the major sins written…damning another’s spirit. It was as if satin himself came to challenge me…”through HIM all things are possible”…true strength arose.

While my physical pain subsided the mental anguish often returns.  Yet, as I uncover more shadows of my past, reminded of the pain once endured I become healed. These attached emotions of associated pain only created more pain. Once I uncover them, I quickly ask for forgiveness or allow forgiveness to embrace the pain. Through acceptance of pain I Am healed. Yes, even pain of the past can make us strong…ultimately who we are today. Imagine…would we be who we are today without the lessons of yesterday?

Right on time, the book is delivered!

As I began unraveling my hidden emotions, a book suggested by a wise teacher shows up to teach me how to release my hidden emotions, finding health, Love and happiness. While these are merely a choice, we can still miss the mark if we have hidden emotions associated with pain. “The Emotion Code” by Dr. Bradley Nelson, explains that many of our negative traits are associated with negative emotions caused by past traumas, whether mental or physical.

While I am still putting the pieces together, Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. Broken only in mental discomfort, he quickly climbs back atop the wall. The pain has gone, but occasional mental pain arises. Allowing it into the Canvas, I quickly paint a brighter scene. The beauty of having been broken? I Am healed. Through good or bad situations we  grow. Sometimes are greatest teachers comes from times of darkness.

Stepping into the Canvas releasing old thoughts and pain, discovering a new fresh outlook on life. While the canvas may have painted grey and blacks yesterday, it is sure to have splatter of brighter colors today.  Each new day is an opportunity to discover yet another area of canvas that needs brightening…