Life is stressful enough as it is. We don’t need to add to it. And yet we do, through the power of our overactive imagination. This is both bad news and good news.
The Bad News
The bad news is that our imagination can work ourselfves up to being upset when nothing upsetting is happening around us. I’ll give an example from my own life to clearly illustrate what I’m talking about.
I have a dog named Pony, who needs to be walked at least a half hour a day. This is usually a great time for the both of us. But a couple of weeks ago, someone came out of their house and heaped verbal abuse on us because our presence on the street made his dog bark. Pony and I got out of that situation as fast as we cound.
Ever since then, I get tense and nauseous before Pony and I go for a walk. Sometimes I worry so much that I think I give myself a headache. Why is this? Out of all the walks we’ve had, we have only had problems with other people maybe four times out of hundreds. Logically, I shouldn’t be so upset.
Yet I am. My mind keep going round and round in circles, wondering who is going to assault us next. When we go on the walk and nothing happens, I relax until time to walk the next day — then my imagination kicks in again.
Dr. Abraham Low, best known as the founder of Recovery, Inc, called my worried non-stop thoughts "Imagination on fire." (In my case, it’s more like "imagination doing the Disco Inferno.")
The Good News
The good news is that since this major source of stress springs from my thoughts, I can use my thoughts to stop it and thus reduce the stress in my life. Hey, every little bit helps!
The first step in putting out an imagination on fire is to first SPOT it. This is when you recognise what’s going on. You are upset, your heart is pounding, you may be sweating or shaking, but nothing bad is actually happening to you. You recognise, or spot, that your imagination has ignited.
The next step is to take a deep breath and think something like, "Ok, so my imagination is on fire. I’m okay. Think something else."
And then, you look around and pay close attention to your surroundings. What does the sky look like? Are there any birds in the trees? Are there any trees? What are you hearing and smelling at that moment?
This is usually enough to stop the rushing wildfire of a hyperactive imagination and put it out. If you find your imagination reignites, spot the process and concentrate on your immediate surroundings. Breathing deeply will help your body to relax, too.
Hope this helps.
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2 Comments
Write a Comment»We had a similar situation. My guy was walking the dog at night…he finds her delightful because she gets up on her front paws and walks in a “handstand”. He talks to her and laughs at her antics and general busy demeanor when he’s walking her.
Someone called the police; told them there was a drunk guy running around talking to himself in the neighborhood. He got frisked, and they came into the house to view his driver’s license.
I’m letting go though (If I EVER find the dirty…..! (lol)
That’s a good illustration. Who knows why someone thought your guy was drunk? You’ll go nuts dwelling on it. Since no one was hurt, you are right to let it go. Good luck, and good luck with the acrobatic dog
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