levi: la vida loca

stepuptothepl8

fire's lit, sloe gin is poured, DD in bed. Ready here too!

Levi-

Bedtime story time - are you ready kiddies?



Once upon a time in a town far, far away there was a man named Mr. Catastrophe. Mr. Catastrophe lived a life that was full of fear, worry and dread. He laid awake at night thinking of all the worst case scenarios that he felt were about to befall him and he never seemed to learn that he was the one causing himself this worry and strife because he was the one thinking up situations and worrying about them constantly when most of the time -if not all of the time- they didn't really happen at all.
Mr. Catastrophe was able to think of the worst case scenario in EVERYTHING. If he had to cross the road, he would imagine that he would be hit by the biggest truck, travelling at the fastest speed and then be dragged under its wheels dying a slow and painful death for several miles. If he had to fly on an airplane, he would be sure that would burst into a ball of flames and then nosedive in to the sea. If he felt a bit unwell - of course, he had a terminal illness and wouldn't have more than a month to live. You get the idea.
Mr. Catastrophe would imagine that at any minute he was about to lose everything. He was afraid to be happy because he would then worry about losing it. In the end became afraid to do anything, in fact, and he ended up being scared of his own thoughts. His mind was always one big, nasty "WHAT IF...?"

It wasn't a nice way to live for Mr. Catastrophe and he didn't want to feel this way. It started to make his body tired and weak and he eventually talked about it to a doctor, who told him that what he had was an anxiety disorder. There were certain little tablets that he could take to make the thoughts go quiet, but there were also techniques and things he could learn to do within himself, to stop him thinking these awful thoughts worsening.

One book that was recommended to him was "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie. Dale Carnegie was a very important expert in self-development, born in 1888. His bookes have changed the world and indeed- Mr. Catastrophe got a copy of this book recommended to him, and started reading. It became the most helpful book that he had ever read.

Here are the most helpful pieces and ideas from the book (in summarised form) that have helped change his way of thinking.

Fundamental facts you should know about worry:

If you want to avoid worry, do what Sir William Osler did: Live in "day-tight compartments." Don't stew about the futures. Just live each day until bedtime.
The next time Trouble--with a Capital T--backs you up in a corner, try the magic formula of Willis H. Carrier:
Ask yourself, "What is the worst that can possibly happen if I can't solve my problem?
Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst--if necessary.
Then calmly try to improve upon the worst--which you have already mentally agreed to accept.
Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health. "Those who do not know how to fight worry die young."

How to break the worry habit before it breaks you:

Crowd worry out of your mind by keeping busy. Plenty of action is one of the best therapies ever devised for curing "wibber gibbers."
Don't fuss about trifles. Don't permit little things--the mere termites of life--to ruin your happiness.
Use the law of averages to outlaw your worries. Ask yourself: "What are the odds against this thing's happening at all?"
Co-operate with the inevitable. If you know a circumstance is beyond your power to change or revise, say to yourself: "It is so; it cannot be otherwise."
Put a "stop-loss" order on your worries. Decide just how much anxiety a thing may be worth--and refuse to give it anymore.
Let the past bury its dead. Don't saw sawdust.

Seven ways to cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you peace and happiness:

Let's fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health, and hope, for "our life is what our thoughts make it."
Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's do as General Eisenhower does: let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like.
Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. Let's remember that Jesus healed ten lepers in one day--and only one thanked Him. Why should we expect more gratitude than Jesus got?
Let's remember that the only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude--but to give for the joy of giving.
Let's remember that gratitude is a "cultivated" trait; so if we want our children to be grateful, we must train them to be grateful.
Count your blessings--not your troubles!
Let's not imitate others. Let's find ourselves and be ourselves, for "envy is ignorance" and "imitation is suicide."
When fate hands us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.
Let's forget our own unhappiness--by trying to create a little happiness for others. "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself."

How to keep from worrying about criticism:

Unjust criticism is often a disguised compliment. It often means that you have aroused jealousy and envy. Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog.
Do the very best you can; and then put up your old umbrella and keep the rain of criticism from running down the back of your neck.
Let's keep a record of the fool things we have done and criticize ourselves. Since we can't hope to be perfect, let's do what E.H. Little did: let's ask for unbiased, helpful, constructive criticism.


Six ways to prevent fatigue and worry and keep your energy and spirits high:

Rest before you get tired.
Learn to relax at your work.
Learn to relax at home.
Apply these four good workings habits:
Clear your desk of all papers except those relating to the immediate problem at hand.
Do things in the order of their importance.
When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have the facts to make a decision.
Learn to organize, deputize, and supervise.
To prevent worry and fatigue, put enthusiasm into your work.
Remember, no one was ever killed by lack of sleep. It is worrying about insomnia that does the damage--not the insomnia.


Those are the best "take away" notes from the book but I (ahem, Mr Catastrophe) does recommend this book whole heartedly to any of his fellow anxiety sufferers out there.
From reading this he has been able to overcome a lot of his worrisome thinking and hopes to pass his on to MSE friends so they can all live happily ever after.

~Switch off light~.. no you can't have a drink, no you can't get out of bed, no you can't watch TV, no you can't have another story, no you can't have a biscuit ... GO TO SLEEP!

See you tomorrow, night night
Love.. Levi ...x

stepuptothepl8

oh Levi some wonderfully wise words in there..

Here's something I use:

F = false
E = evidence
A = appearing
R = real

ie we fear things that aren't true, aren't likely to happen, and prevent us from being mindful of the good things that are surrounding us.

The words you are writing now are in stark contrast to the words in your first diary. What a long way you've come :T you should be very proud xx

Levi-

I thought I told you to go to sleep Step

(thanks though :)) x

apple_muncher

Many, many, many thanks for the 'story' Levi.

(btw I assure you I am asleep, but I don't half sleeptalk!)

elsien

Levi- wrote: »

Rest before you get tired.
Learn to relax at your work.
Learn to relax at home.


Can I keep this bit please?


~Switch off light~.. no you can't have a drink, no you can't get out of bed, no you can't watch TV, no you can't have another story, no you can't have a biscuit ... GO TO SLEEP!

Ah, but daaaaadddddddd.:(

See you tomorrow, night night
Love.. Levi ...x

Can't go to bed yet, the rest of the wine is looking at me.

Levi-

There is going to be a queue for the naughty step at this rate

busiscoming2

Thanks for the story Levi. Night

satchmo1

Sssssnnnnorrrrre x

liltdiddylilt

Thanks for the bedtime story Signore Cataste. Me and apple make a right pair of sleepwalkers. I walk too. And tell people off.

Methinks I put into practice a lot of the practical aspects above. Although in a less wordy way. '!!!! it', 'karma will sort this out' and so on

Sleep tight!