Urban Thought Collective

I could feel the queasiness in my stomach as my anxiety heightened. I was getting ready to present my first seminar, “How to Deal with Difficult People.” I wasn’t sure how I would do this or if I even could. I’d never done it before! I had to keep the audience interested and talk for six hours? I wondered if I had enough material.

The closer I got to the seminar, my anxiety and negative self-talk increased. I realized it was time to meditate in order to clear my mind. As I counted myself down, I found that I had no concept of time. At the end of the countdown, I was transported into an auditorium and seated in a chair. On the stage, there was a young black boy about 11 years old, playing a solo on a flute.

Although I missed the introduction, I understood that the song he played was something the boy had written himself and wanted to perform for the audience. About 50 people were there in support of their children who performed in the band behind the boy.

The boy’s courage amazed me. He appeared to have no fear and was unaware of any limits to his abilities. I begin to smile as the child performed. I could feel the exhilaration in the child as if we were one.

I was suddenly pulled back into the present. I say the present because I realized it was my past I was reliving. After the experience, I recognized I did have the skills to perform in front of people. Actually, about 10 years experience of performing and entertaining people as a band member. My anxiety was decreased drastically. I begin to feel quite confident in myself. I was able to resourcefully allow past experiences to aid me in my present circumstance.

Sometimes we utilize the past to warn us. Other times, the past can limit us when we remember our failures or unpleasant experiences. The truth is, we are going to make mistakes and there will be missed opportunities, but to dwell on those moments only wastes valuable energy. The past can actually be a source of power and strength.

Instead of focusing on things we cannot change, focus on those parts of your past when you’ve triumphed! When you’ve overcame a fear, learned the value of another, or achieved a desired goal. How do you gain strength from this? Recall the resources that you used to transcend that past experience. Employ these past moments as symbols of personal power. Remember the strength you used to move beyond your fears.

There are so many examples we can recall each day. The courage it took to reveal yourself to another in order to form intimate bond. The faith that you are more than who you see in the mirror. The confidence that guided you through the unknown towards a goal.

When recalling these experiences, remember what it took for you to transcend them. Recall the attitude, emotions, thoughts, and skills that got you through. Don’t forget, you survived the experience!

Know that those resources still exist within you. They are there for you to use ANY TIME you choose.

Be grateful for the past. It has transformed you into the being you are today.

Roderick Watkins is a Certified Hypnotherapist and doctoral student in Metaphysics. His mission is to aid you in finding resolutions for conflicted parts of your being using spiritual resources to guide you on the path towards a unified self.