By Stacey Rose, PhD, LCSW
People are worried about their health. Are you one of them? More and more I hear my clients talk about their most recent doctor’s visit, surgery, and/or upcoming medical test; and the anxiety that often accompanies health can be overwhelming. A dentist friend of mine once said to me that when your teeth are in good shape, you forget they are there. I view health in the same way. This is not to say we should forget about or neglect our health, but instead we tend to focus on our health when it breaks down, just like a toothache. Maybe, we can use these health scares as reminders to live our lives fully each day.
So, the physical problems may be evident but what is not always clear is the psychological reason behind the physical problem. Louise Hay, author of “You Can Heal Your Life” addresses the mind and body connection in this classic read. In the back of this book, she has a chart that lists many physical problems and their underlying psychological meaning, along with a suggested affirmation to help heal both the emotional and physical challenges. For example, if you are having problems with your eyes, maybe there are things going in your life that you don’t want to ‘see’. She might suggest saying an affirmation such as “It is safe for me to see the world.”
So, what are the three things you must know to improve both your health and your life now???
First, according to Louise Hay,” YOUR THOUGHTS CREATE YOUR LIFE.” In other words, what you believe about yourself and the world will come to fruition because you will make that happen; whether it is positive or negative. If, for instance, you believe you will get sick, you will begin to feel sick. I actually experienced this as a kid. One day I didn’t want to go to school and told my mother I didn’t feel well (while at the time I felt completely fine). She allowed me to stay home and took me to the doctor. When I arrived at the doctor, I had a fever of 102. What do you believe about yourself and your life?
Second, your physical condition can teach you about your emotional self. Look at any physical challenges you have or have had, therein lie the answers to why you are in the state of health you are in. If you have ever been to the doctor and have been told it is unknown why you are feeling the way you are feeling, maybe it stems from a psychological place. This is not to say you don’t have legitimate physical pain, I’m sure you do! But the cause of it may be coming from stress in your life instead of from your body. Your life stress is just landing in your body. Your choice, however, is in your response. Don’t let it linger in your body!
Third, and most important, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH! Louise Hay claims to have cured herself of cancer (okay skeptics, roll your eyes here…). I am not at all suggesting this is easy. Nor am I suggesting that all people can change all health conditions at all times. But, I am suggesting that the way we live our lives has a huge impact on our physical health; i.e.: the way we eat, sleep, talk, relate to others, our friendships, our relationships with our families, our sex lives, our financial lives, our spiritual lives and the way we talk to ourselves all strongly affect our health.
So, you decide. Make a decision about what areas of your life that you have control over and can begin to be more positive about today. Maybe, it is time to do something different. Maybe, it is time to forgive a friend. Maybe, it is time to go back to your place of worship. Maybe, just maybe, you can heal your life.