Do You Think the Worst?

Do you think the worst? For some people it’s their nature to always consider the worst when they come up across an professional or personal opportunity, a social obligation, or any experience in general. The mind has a way of jumping into the pool of potential negative outcomes and drags our emotions along with it. Well the mind, or rather the ego, is a boldface liar, and its objective is to try to scare you by keeping you imprisoned in that fear-based mentality. If you’re all worked up wrestling these fear based thoughts, that means you’re not present of your current reality and most likely you’re suffering through waves of anxiety and stress. That’s where the ego wants you to be, because that’s the place where it has the most control over you. But there’s a little trick that we can use so that we can gain back control over the temple of our mind… and send the ego packing. I call it, Broken Compass. Let’s say I’m out hiking through a national park somewhere, but my compass is broken. When the needle points south, I’m actually heading north and vice versa. Can I use this broken compass to direct myself to that summit of success that's awaiting me? Yeah sure, but only if you know the calibration of the compass is misaligned and the needle points in the exact opposite direction you're really headed. If you constantly think the worst, let's pretend your mind has this same misaligned calibration. Let's put it to the test. So what’s going to happen is that the ego is going to give you a bunch of anxiety about a possible future experience turning out for the worst. Let’s say you have your 20 year reunion coming up and your mind is bombarded with all these negative thoughts on how others are going to perceive you, if you feel successful enough, and how you’re going to conduct yourself. The ego immediately catapults us into a gauntlet of negative delusions. This triggers anxiety and stress which points us south and makes us feel like shit. We don't want to feel like shit, we want to be shit-free and head north instead. What's north? North is feeling empowered, inspired, excited and peaceful… with a serving of happy on the side of course. But how the hell do we just begin feeling excited when our mind is literally terrorizing us with fear-based delusions and stirring up anxiety like a hive of pissed-off bees. With this simple question… “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” Swedish Proverb

“What is the best possible outcome and how do I want to feel?” The answer should be pretty clear. Regarding the 20 year reunion, you’re probably going to want to feel confident, composed, and proud of who you are as well as excited to hear all about what’s happening in the lives of your long-lost friends. This is the process over mindfully rotating away from south and toward north. The next step is to imagine that perfect outcome by painting a visual representation of what it would look like if it happened. See yourself laughing, feeling really relaxed and at ease, and enjoying your time with everyone else. See them laughing too, nodding and smiling with appreciation. FEEL that comfortable and laid-back energy wrap around you like a wool sweater. The important part here is to try and visualize a few different things: what are you going to see, hear, touch, and most importantly what emotions will you experience? Hold onto this imagery like it's a scene from a painting you'll need to recall for a later date so as to share every minute detail. Then audibly speak this affirmation or just say it in your mind: “This is how things are going to go… and I’m grateful for having a wonderful time.” Whenever your mind tries to pull you back into the possibility of a negative experience, just reaffirm that you’ve already decided to have a good time and allow yourself some space within that same visualization. The mind is an old dog trying to learn new tricks. All it takes is a bit of persistence and effort to train it into “seeing” a beautiful future instead of a fear-based one. I hope this serves you well but if you need a bit more personalized guidance, be sure to check out my services page HERE or email me and let me know how I can help: jh@joe-hehn.com I’m grateful for you, Joe

In other news… my debut novel, “Dreams of Antiquity – The Awakening”, will be released within two weeks! If you haven't already, please let me know if you're interested in getting your copy!

Three days after her passing, author Joe Hehn received a message from his late wife: “I want you to tell a story, to write a book.” Dreams of Antiquity is that story. The Awakening, the first book in the fictional series, Dreams of Antiquity is a stirring, unpredictable, and adventurous debut novel filled with passion and sorrow, pain and joy. The epic tale begins with the king of ancient Babylonia. Gracien is madly in love with his Queen: his Ayadonna. But what will happen when the pair face tragedy? A heartbroken Gracien must embark on a journey filled with lifetimes of despair, adventure, and realization. Betrayed and forsaken, his solitary quest unfolds only to reveal that his wounded soul may not be alone after all. When faced with mystical guidance, clouded memories, and lucid dreams, Gracien wonders if he’s losing his grip on reality or being guided from the Beyond. Travel over 2,000 years into the past as royalty is reborn, grown men see with the innocence of a child, and love is rediscovered. Join Gracien’s adventure through time as he is cast from the kingdom of Babylonia into the embrace of an Aboriginal tribe, where a shamaness attempts to guide him towards a path of healing. It isn’t long before Gracien finds himself enduring the perils of the Great Pyramid and the hardships of Egyptian slums, all before venturing through the Himalayas in search of a Buddhist sage tucked away in a secret sanctuary. Gracien’s adventures culminate, traversing through the many marvels of Beijing while balancing the burden of discipleship and the dangers of forbidden love. A coming-of-age story, Hehn has created a masterpiece by sharing the journey one must go on to ascend from grief to triumph, a journey he is all too familiar with. This incredibly original novel is a testament to the path of soulful evolution, as Hehn ponders past lives, soulmates, the notion of self, true loss, and true love.