do Katie Byrons "the work" every morning to see the effects on me!

Pain is the enemy.

Is that true?
Yes.

Is it absolutely true? Does pain always have to be the enemy?
No.

How do I react when I think that thought? I go into a state of fear and more pain. I brace myself for more pain. I wake up in the morning and I imagine pain. I try to fight pain out of my body. I numb my body with drugs. I fight discomfort and illness. I disrespect my body. I beat myself up mentally for being a wuss. My body hardens. My body spirals further into anxiety and depression.

Who would I be without this thought?
Light. Free. Kind. Able-bodied. Friends with pain. Not adding to it. Creative and imagining other things. Loving. Good to my body. Good to God and good to my soul.

Turn it around.

Pain is not the enemy.

Could that be just as true or truer?
That could be just as true, because:
1. Pain is always on the way out.
2. Pain lets me know that somethings wrong so I can fix it – so pain helps keep me alive.
3. Pain brings me to a new level of awareness and can shift me out of destructive thoghts and actions if I’m accepting of it.
4. Experiencing pain helps me to know when I’m experiencing deep relief.

Other turn arounds.

My thinking is the enemy.
Yup! I really resonate with that one… It’s like I’m really only experiencing the pain in my mind, and my mind is amplifying everything I’m feeling. It’s like I’m actually saying to myself… I want more pain! when I feel like pain is the enemy.

Pain is actually my friend.

I need more money. Why? Because my husband will be mad at me if I don’t have more money saved at the end of the year.

My husband will be mad at me if I don’t have more money saved.

Is that true? Actually, I can’t know that’s true. I can’t know his thoughts. It’s probably not going to be true. Or if he is mad, it might not be personal or have anything to do with me.

How do I react when I think that thought?
I become panicked. I check my accounts over and over. I worry about having money to pay off my credit card. I worry about having the money saved. I worry about imagined fights and being dead broke… and not getting work. I tense up a lot. I don’t make smart financial decisions when I’m like this. I bring a lot of negativity into our relationship. I’m always worried around him.

Who would I be without this thought?
Smart. Funny. Happy. Kind. Compassionate. Just playing. Not concerned. Wise in that I know I have as much money right now as I need. Loving. Feeling loved. Supportive of my husband and our marriage.

Turn it around.

My husband won’t be mad at me if I don’t have more money saved.

Could that be just as true or truer?

Just as true, because:

1. My husband knows I did the best I could.
2. My husband told me it’s okay to spend some money so that I have things to do and am not as miserable/lonely.
3. My husband loves me and wants to take care of me.
4. Because I will at least be able to pay off my credit card and school loan.

I need more money is that true?

Is that true? Yes, because I need to be able to buy new things for our new house (groceries, furniture, storage stuff) and I might not have a job for awhile when I get there.

I need to be able to buy new things for our house (groceries, furniture, storage stuff).

Is that true?
No. JT probably has enough for us to get groceries and I might be able to get a new job right away, and storage stuff and furniture really could come later.

So… I need more money.

Is that true?
No. I have has much money as I need right now for what I’m doing today.

How do I react when I think that thought?
Miserable. Miserly. I punish myself with guilt for what I buy and for not saving more. I work my butt off and spend it senselessly. I gripe to my parents and my husband. I imagine things that aren’t true.

Who would I be without that thought?
Clear. Smiling. Happy. Grateful for what I have. Grateful for my spouse, my job, my lack of storage.

Turn it around.

I don’t need more money.

And that is just as true because:
1. I can be happy without it.
2. I have everything I need.
3. My husband is taking care of it.
4. I will be able to make more money at any time in my life.

“Time needs to pass faster.”

Is that true?
I don’t know, but I feel like I want it to.

Is it absolutely true that time needs to pass faster?
No

How do I react when I think that thought?
I become tense in the shoulder area. I start stalling my breath, not inhaling or exhaling very deeply. I feel a tightening in my chest. I become frustrated and angry that things that I want to happen will have to be waited for. I stop enjoying everything in front of me. I engage in mindless activities meant to pass time, which bring no real happiness. I look at my day and see nothing to look forward to but night time and the dawning of a new day. I feel guilty for not giving this day my prescense mentally. I feel sad that I’m not making the most of it.

Who would I be without this thought?

Original. Happy. Fully in the present moment and enjoying the simplicity of being a life. Going to work, typing on the keyboard and talking to friends. Everything would be something to look forward to. I would be clear, alert and meditative. Kind and compassionate towards my self. In bliss.

Turn it around.

Time doesn’t need to pass faster.

Three reasons why this could be just as true or truer?

1. Time can’t do anything – it is what I percieve – I am in control of time and hating it will only serve to make it slow down. It is what it is.
2. Time doesn’t need to pass faster because maybeit is beneficial for me to learn to enjoy a slower paced lifestyle.
3. Time doesn’t need to pass faster because…? (will fill in another reason when I can think of one)

Other Turn Arounds-

My thinking needs to pass faster. NOW THAT WOULD BE HIGHLY ENJOYABLE!
I need to move slower. That could be very true.