The Monster in the Closet

Fear. It can paralyze us if we let it.

I teach a class entitled "Practicing the Miraculous: Creating Everyday Miracles for Yourself and Others." It's about aligning your Beliefs, Thoughts, and Emotions to support rather than subvert your goals and to change your life. I teach this class because I've been using this idea, however subconsciously, all my life to reach my goals.

One of the class sessions is devoted to overcoming the natural fear that's usually dredged up when we "change the rules" of the life we've created.

I'm in the middle of a big cloud of fear right now and wanted to tell you all a little about it. But before I do, I'd like to talk a little about two of my all-time favorite people (and, I'll bet, two of yours, as well): James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski.

These characters used to thrive on fear. They used fear as an energy source, even. It was their daily mission to scare others, and they were really good at it. Together, they virtually set records on the amount of chaos and terror they instilled.

No, I'm not talking about politicians (although I certainly could be...). I'm sure you already know that I'm talking about Sulley and Mike, the main characters in the Disney movie Monsters, Inc, as played by John Goodman and Billy Crystal. (Can you visualize Mike's big eye?)

In this movie, Sulley would teleport into a child's closet in the middle of the night. He'd then burst into the room and collect their screams and shrieks as energy for Monstropolis. The more terror he caused, the longer the lights would stay on.

Well, although nothing has burst from it, I really feel like there's a monster in my closet. And, although I don't expect a blue hairy creature to spring into my room and collect my screams, the fear is surging just like I am expecting it.

I'm afraid of losing some things in my life that I've come to rely upon. I'm afraid of not being supported in this new career I've chosen. I'm afraid of being scorned by friends and family for choosing a new career as...shudder...a professional psychic! I'm afraid that what I do isn't good enough, and that it doesn't help enough.

All these fears are, I know!, in my head. They're mental perceptions rather than physical realities.
But I fear them nonetheless. And that fear is sometimes paralyzing!

So why am I blogging about this? Shouldn't I just focus on the positive and not even think about this negative crapola?

No. This is my reality and I'm neck-deep in it. And it's not, in my opinion, a "bad" thing to discuss the challenges we encounter. And if what I'm going through can help just one person out there... Well... that's a really good thing.
In the movie, Sulley and Mike stumble upon the knowledge that laughter is a much better energy source than terror. I know that, as well. Heck, I've seen it working in my own life, as I'm sure you have.

This is the principle and the knowledge that has, so far, kept that monster in my closet and not roaring into my room in the middle of the night:

Life is supposed to be easy, joyous, and abundant.

I'm working on it.

More to come.