Imagery ... it works for me!

Welcome to Day 4 of the 31 Days series It Works for Me!

I love a good self-improvement book.  

Self-improvement, self-help, psycho babble, whatever you like to call it :o)  

I've read some great ones and skimmed through some kooky ones, 

but I've gleaned some pretty good stuff over the years.  

Today, you're in luck, the doctor is in ... 

 (image source)

I'd like to talk to you about imagery.  

 It's the visual version of positive thoughts.  

"And gosh darn it, people like me!!"  

(quick! who says that?)

Imagery is helpful when I deal with my kids.  Most of the time I find my children to be delightful, 

but sometimes they need to be dealt with.  

Sometimes I'm a lighthouse ... 

they're in the fog, in a dangerous place, and I am the lighthouse, 

standing firm, not moving, showing them the safe way.

Sometimes I'm a mirror ... 

reflecting back to them the reality that they sometimes can't see: 

you're fabulous!  you're awesome!  you're wonderful!

Sometimes I'm a wall ... 

maybe not a brick wall, but a cushy one.  Definitely will stop you, but there's a little bit of give so you don't hurt yourself too badly.  But you aren't going beyond here.

Yesterday, I talked to my mother-in-law on the phone.  It was a catching up call and I gave her the run down on the whole family.  And then, she said, "And how's Melissa?  How are you doing?" And the way she said it made me feel like what I do here is as important as the job of a five star general, and my eyes teared up with the empathy in her voice.  "Well," I said, "I'm pretty overwhelmed with everything."  

So we talked a little bit about that, and she said, 

"Getting everything done is like eating an elephant.  You eat it one bite at a time."  

Point well taken.  

Imagery magic, right there.  

Since eating an elephant isn't all that appealing to me,

today when I encounter my feelings of overwhelm, I think of a mountain climber.  

They don't freak out about how far it is to the top.  

They sure don't let themselves freak out about how far it is to fall.  

(image source)

They focus on the step right in front of them.  

And eventually, they're planting the flag on the mountain top.

Somehow, holding the image in my head helps me be more of what I need to be.  

Imagery ... it works for me!