A Supply of Hope

Christine (hopedespitedepression.blogspot.com) is a fellow blogger. I was intrigued by the title. If you have depression or want to understand more about it, you might want to check out her blog.

Hope despite depression.... That says it all. And so today I am inspired to write about hope and some of the ways to get from depression to hope and beyond.

Hope and depression ~ polar opposites. Depression is an ugly place. When I suffered from it and tried to describe it to someone I said it was like living in a deep, cold dark well with my only source of comfort being a scratchy damp blanket. People who have never suffered from depression have a difficult time relating to how oppressive it is.

Hope on the other hand is filled with light and color (Research has shown that when we are depressed our vision is literally washed in gray). Depression is slow, sluggish, bogged down - as if our brain is filled with quicksand - sucking us in deeper. If you look up "hope" in the dictionary you would find words like ambition, confidence, security, daydream, buoyancy. I might describe it as aliveness or engaged in life .

Whether you have some level of depression or not it is vital to understand the mind. Guard well the avenues of your mind...wish I could remember where I first heard or read that because I think that advice is priceless.

So, how do we go about this "guarding"? Well first of all GET RID OF THE NEGATIVES. What we see, hear, taste, smell and touch bombards our brain and our brain responds. (Just like it responds to medication; so this information is empowering. )You know how sometimes you have an unpleasant "mystery smell" in the house and have to hunt it down and get rid of it? Well, that is the same concept for rooting the negatives out of our surroundings, our energy field.

If you are presently depressed I know how difficult it can be to actually "do" something so bear with me - there will be notes about adding positives and you are already doing that. You are home free; you are searching out blogs that might be helpful to you.

So, what are the negatives in your life? Let's start with television. How many nasty things do you view in a day? What about negative news stations? Yes I want to know what is going on in the world but half an hour of hurricanes, greed, murders, the stock market, war and casualties and my good mood is right down the toilet. I find out what is going on in the world around me via the internet where I can peruse the stories and pick and choose what I want to look into. And keep my good mood.

You see, the problem is that television is rather hypnotic. Haven't we all sat down to watch a favorite program and remained plunked down for the evening? It is more than a bad habit. It is about the way the energy waves/pulsations of communication impact our brain. It is a marvelous invention but use it with care.

An easy key is to ask "is this positive or negative"? Because all energy DOES impact our mind. We live in a world of energy. So maybe a little more of "Dancing with the Stars" and a little less of the visually detailed crime stories.

"You are what you eat." Are we ever! So in rooting out the negatives you know where to go with this one. Food is energy - literally. Love your body, your being, enough to choose carefully. Doesn't mean you have to be a purist and give up those Klondike bars but maybe eat fewer sweets or fats and add one healthy food to your diet. Garbage in, garbage out. We cannot function at our best when we are debasing our body by eating crappy worthless food. Eventually the body and mind will reap the results.

Visual surroundings. The optic nerve goes directly into the brain so the impact of what we see is huge. We are constantly scanning and creating thoughts about our environment. Thoughts in turn create feelings. Feelings can delight us or cripple us.

I have a friend who runs the reception desk at a large business complex. There are several offices with windows that face her work center. She told me about how uncomfortable she felt because a guy in one of those offices would often be caught staring at her. I think she used the word "leering." She needed to change the negative! And her solution was very clever. She simply moved the potted plant from one spot on the counter to another - yes, directly between her and the "negative visual." I chuckle every time I think about it. He certainly couldn't complain that the plant was moved!

One of the things I tell clients and those in my seminars is to use "garage store stickers." Yes, those little colored dots. Strategically place them in your home, car, and work area. When you see the dot check your present thought. Is it positive or negative? Make the switch if you need to and be proud of yourself that you did so. It is a great way to get control of your own thinking so that you indeed are "guarding well the avenues of your mind."

Until next time ~ be gentle with yourself - your are a precious individual and your life is a work in progress.

Dr. DyAnn

What is your Purpose?

Have you ever asked yourself "why am I here?" That question might be asked in frustration (!!!) or it might be a very literal wondering what your purpose is in living this lifetime, with these circumstances. I certainly know I have done both. It is much more pleasant to be asking from the second perspective ~ which is perhaps a search for personal meaning in your life. That being said, when we get more clues and understanding as to the "why" we'll find ourselves a lot less frustrated or asking "why" in that" what the bleep" frustrated way!!!

We each have a truly unique purpose which no one else can fill. It can be anything: being the best parent you can be and changing the cycle of abuse that has gone on for generations in your family ~ being the best crossing guard your local school could even dream of by maybe adding joy and humor ~being an advocate for an aging parent, even if that parent seems unappreciative ~loving a significant other (and yourself) enough to set boundaries around alcohol abuse ~ teaching forgiveness by letting go of something really nasty that was done to you or your family~speaking up when it is the right thing to do and you know it in your heart. The list is as endless as there are people in the world.

Here's the point: you don't need to try to be someone special because you already ARE somebody special! Too often we give notice and credit to someone who is famous or renowned or popular, thinking that their life is more important or they are more valuable than your own self. Nothing could be further from the truth. Think about it;

- for the person who breaks that cycle of violence could you ever count the blessings bestowed on future generations?

-for the child who sees that joyous crossing guard every morning, do you realize that may be the only person he or she really feels a connection with because there is the sense that they actually care?

-for the staff who observes you as a tender advocate with a parent who is unappreciative, do you realize what a role model you might be someone in a similar struggle?f

- in setting boundaries you may be the one and last opportunity that alcoholic has to get life back on track because you respect yourself and him/her enough to say "no more"

- by practicing forgiveness can you even imagine the impact on the person who committed the betrayal?

- or in speaking up, have you ever considered the rippling effect that goes out into the world?

These and millions of other examples give us the message that what we are doing right now may be exactly what our purpose is. Perhaps taking the time to realize that what you are doing now is vital and important is what the missing piece is!

Bless you on your journey ~ and may you realize how important it is, for we are all connected, we are all one.

Until next time~

Dr. DyAnn

Seasons of the Mind

This blog discusses the mind and its many wonders. The more we know about the mind the better, for it is the computer that drives our whole system. If we are wise we learn about how to work with this precious powerful resource. While I totally believe in and have read the scientific evidence about the power of the mind, we also need to be aware of some of the things that can seem to go wrong.

So here we are at this time of year when summer has quickly turned to fall. For some of us that means our favorite season is over with, while for others it is just beginning. I was talking to a young woman earlier this week and she mentioned that while she was happy with the progress she is making in working her way out of depression she is rather apprehensive about the possibility of "winter blues" bringing her back down. So, I thought this would be a good time to discuss the subject of Seasonal Affect Disorder from the perspective of what is going on within the mind.

At best this condition can put a damper on the fall/winter season, but at its worse it can really wreak havoc on our lives and bring about deepened depression. Let's talk a little about what it is (if you want more info you can just google it). In general SAD is a grouping of depressive symptoms but what makes it different from general depression is that it is related to the seasons. We can track the occurrence of SAD like a weather map: the shorter the days and the more northern the location, the greater the chance of it occurring. Herein lies the key: the decrease of daylight is really the culprit.

Our brains could be described as chemical factories and one of the keys that brings about the typical symptoms of this condition is melatonin. Less light = more melatonoin produced in our brain. It almost seems like we go into hibernation - we have increased appetite and weight gain, we want to sleep more and may become sleepy during the day, we have less energy and not as much interest in activities and we crave carbs!

So what can we do when this occurs?

Discussing what is going on in your life is almost always helpful - whether it is just the effects of the slow down/grinding halt of SAD or some other issues that perhaps need to be processed. The chemical change brought about by the difference in the amount of melatonin produced by your brain can often change your mood and thus your ability to tolerate life's ups and downs. Another possibility is to talk to your health care provider about medication during the fall/winter months. For most people SAD thankfully leaves along with the last whispers of cold weather and/or gray skies.

Mayo clinic among others gives a solid thumbs up to Light Therapy (phototherapy). It makes sense that if too little light (cloudy conditions and shorter days) helps create this problem, then the addition of light via a light box will help to reduce it.

Above all remember that our thoughts produce our feelings. Feelings are as chemical as melatonin --- We may not be able to move to a sunnier climate but we all certainly have the ability to use the power of our minds to create a happier life. If you believe you will be more depressed this winter you will; if you believe you will be able to do better, you will. Either way you are right.

Until next time~

May you see your many blessings...

Dr. DyAnn

Weight Reduction on Steroids?!!

Have you ever known someone like"Jody" ? She often has a twinkle in her eye, making me wonder what she is up to. She's creative, hard working, loyal to family and friends and has a great sense of humor...I get some of my best/funniest e-mail forwards from her. Actually I met Jody as a client a while back. We have stayed in touch, and recently we worked together on weight reduction ~ a topic of great importance that is a concern for more and more people.

Jody recently sent an e-mail updating her progress. She reported that her doctor had put her on steroids to deal with pain. Now everyone knows that steroids and weight reduction do not exactly go together. In fact the general formula is: steroids = weight gain.

But not for Jody. Not only did she not gain weight, which is a side effect of using steroids, but she already has REDUCED by eight pounds. And I can guarantee that she will continue to reduce her weight and reach her goal, with or without steroids.

So, what is Jody's " secret"? Some new steroid formula? Dialing back her scale? A fluke? No, fortunately it is none of these. In fact her "secret" is not a secret at all. It is simply knowing how to use the power of the human mind. I am so proud of her!

I have worked with hundreds if not thousands of people, helping them to reach their goals using the power of their mind with hypnotherapy as one of the tools. But really all hypnosis is self hypnosis. I realize that my path, my calling is to help teach this to anyone who wants to learn how to have a better, happier life. I am now preparing workshops to teach this material in detail. Along the way I have studied and sharpened my skills. What came to me (we all are truly guided) has been a wealth of information about Universal Laws including the Law of Attraction. (There are many more laws but this one has been quite popularized.) When we have even the basic information about how these truisms work, and add to them the power of our own mind, we really do have amazing power over our life. What we can do seems limitless. Just ask Jody.

One metaphor that I would use to summarize the Law of Attraction is to say that life is like throwing a ball up against the wall... what you toss out comes back to you. So if you throw a tennis ball, a basketball is not what will bounce back at you. In similar fashion if you allow yourself to broadcast negative thoughts, words and emotions ~ well you get the picture.
So, here is a handy tool to use for reaching your goal. We all have the gift of an imagination; it actually has great power. Imagine yourself having reached your goal - what ever it is. The trick here is that you already know you are just imagining it, so "doubt" does not enter into the picture- you are just having fun imagining that great new job, wonderful significant other, healthy slim body, or whatever your dream is.
Remember, the way the energy of the universe works, what we put out there eventually comes back to us. The more richly imagined, complete with emotion, the more quickly and strongly your thoughts will return to you in the real world ~ just like that tennis ball.

Until next time ~Keep your dreams alive!

Dr. DyAnn

buechlertherapy.com

Perception is Everything

Where would you like to see some improvement in your life? Do you read self help books because you want to make some changes? How could you make it happen?

For hundreds of years scientists separated mind from body. We are now in the midst of a medical revolution that proves exactly the opposite, with an entirely new perspective on how the mind and body interact. When you understand the information you can use it to change your life in a very positive way.

I could say that" perception is everything". Why? Because our "read" on something steers how we feel about it and how we respond to it quite literally and powerfully. We have within us the ability to change our emotional state.(Counting to ten, that sort of thing to simplify the example.) Following that line of reasoning, when we alter our emotional state we can positively affect our immune system, if we were to look at just a physical example. Norman Cousins put it this way, " If what one thinks can affect one's internal organs and tissues under ordinary circumstances, how can mental processes be put to use under circumstances of need or challenge? Emotions and attitudes -positive or negative - can affect health and the treatment of disease."

Not only can we stop the course of disease by the understanding of the working of our mind, we can make changes in the programming of all aspects of our being - emotions and perceptions are key.



Emotions are felt and attitudes are formed within the mind.



I invite you to ponder several congruent aspects of the mind. The mind and body are intimately attuned, working together as one for they are one. We are geared to survive; this occurs automatically, without having to think about it. The mind-body is self-healing and self-protective. All the senses constantly scan the environment and send messages to the brain, including those cues which may threaten safety and survival. We cannot override this system, although we may try to ignore it.

Because survival is ultimate, the cues which come in form the external as well as internal environment need to be read and acted on in a timely fashion. We can't afford to configure the speed of a car coming directly at us, the distance across the street, etc - we need to jump out of the way automatically. In order to do so the brain has a shortcut, which essentially leaves out the part of the process that meticulously and laboriously weighs factors (thinks about it logically and systematically).This is not done in a haphazard manner, however. Remember the mind also has stored prior representations of information and does what is called a "state-dependent" match to those cues. It is as if we instantly check files that have the same labels in order to expedite the process. An example would be that we read the cues and " automatically" duck when an object comes flying at our face. Or to step back on the curb when we see a car going much too fast. That is how the process works and the examples are obvious.We know this from past experience.



But the process also has worked, or at least your mind will believe it has, if you emotionally duck out of relationships because your old files read relationships to be hurtful and potentially harmful. I've known people whose relationship files are labeled "will end in failure" or "danger, you will be used". So in order to survive emotionally, guess what they do? You got it, they avoid all potential relationships, including the very ones that may be richly rewarding.

The past impacts the present without our even being aware of it. In our early stages of development, before we had the capacity to soundly judge the cues and prior to having a full range of options of response,(what three year old has a lot of choices or awareness for that matter? He wants to chase the ball into the street, not mindful of the potential dangers. ) -- we built those very files that we depend on in the present to make our judgments and quite virtually, to run our life. In other words, we may unknowingly be making decisions about how to relate to one another, how to live life, based on what happened to us as a very young child. That was when we built our perceptions of reality. That is what is meant by the common phrase that everything is learned by the time we are five years old.

Interesting, huh?

Herein lies the answer to some of the most puzzling aspects of our individual life: why an otherwise highly functioning person may repeatedly participate in a self-defeating activity. So if you have always wondered why you could not succeed in some way, chose partners who ended up being wrong for you, could not seem to find your way in a certain area of life, became addicted to a substance, have low self-esteem even though everyone seems to adore you, (just to name a few examples) I invite you to consider that your internal "files" may be at fault. Remember, what you believe to true, in effect, IS true. So if you believe that when _________________________ of course __________________ will happen, you can bet it will! That is what "self-fulfilling prophesy is all about.

Maybe it is time to look at some of your files, realize they don't fit what you want in life, even who you are - and determine to change the labels.

In future blogs I will continue to share information about the magic of the mind including this phenomenon. But if you want to begin now, read thru past blogs, as therein lie the keys to making your life what you choose it to be. There is no reason to live an unhappy, unsuccessful life. You deserve to be happy, but your happiness is in your own hands, and literally in your belief system , which thankfully can be changed.

When someone "gets" it in regard to this information, it is shocking (in a good way) to see how their life changes. That person can be you.



Remember, you are guided, protected and loved.



Until next time,

Dr. DyAnn

Emmanuel

I want to begin, dear reader, with an apology for being away for so long. You know how we all forget things sometimes. No, not the little every day things like picking up something from the grocery store. I mean the really important things. The things that caress our Souls and help to make life worth living. I lost sight of an important piece of that and it got in the way of my writing to you.

In my heart of hearts I love to write. Even more precisely, I get a charge out of sharing information that might uplift, encourage or educate others. And each morning and evening I cherish the time I spend being on the receiving end of communication by contemplating what others have penned ~the written word comes full circle as I am uplifted and encouraged.

It's not like I haven't been thinking about writing to you, but honestly, self-monitoring got in the way. Don't we all do that at times? Watch over our own shoulder like a harsh teacher who is going to give us a failing grade? Hmmm. We all have one of those internal watchmen. In my dissertation (and perhaps forthcoming book) I call it The Judge: a long-standing and potentially useful member of our Internal Committee.

So I have felt the loving pinch of my consciousness telling me to return to my blog, my home base. It is my hope that when you read it you may find just what you need today. After all, there are no "coincidences."

This morning I reached for something new for my own morning inspiration. I came across Emmanuel's Book. It is a cherished favorite given to me years ago by a very dear friend. I would like to share with you from the Prologue:

The gifts I wish to give you

are my deepest love,

the safety of truth,

the wisdom of the universe

and the reality of God.

With these four things, nothing will deter you.

You will follow your hearts swiftly to your destination,

which is Home.

I hope that speaks to you and gives you what you need today.

For me it did, for it reminded me of the "safety of truth". That truth being that what each of us has to say is important..... Don't judge yourself harshly but rather, love yourself...... Put out your best intentions, and God will take care of the rest.

Until next time

Remember that you are guided, protected and loved.

Dr. DyAnn

d.buechler@yahoo.com

Connect the Dots

Garage sale stickers ~ you know, those little colored circles you can buy in the paper/office section of any store? Did you realize they can be used to boost your energy as well as your sense of happiness?

As you walk around your house, yard, and work place, strategically place a dozen of them on that which you are thankful for. It's not necessarily about the "things" you put them on but what they represent. For example you might place one on your refrigerator, representing gratitude for having enough food to eat. I have one on my appointment book because I am thankful for the relationships I have with my clients, another on a patio chair (for the beauty of Nature) and one on the bedroom dresser so that when I wake up each morning I am thankful for the day. You get the idea.

At a deeper level what the dots do is to empower us. Remember the principle of cause and effect. It is always in operation. Our thinking (conscious mind) leads to our beliefs. Our beliefs lead to our actions. Our actions impact our thoughts - round and round in a cycle that creates what happens in our life moment by moment.
If I think it will be an awful day because I overslept it WILL be an awful day. What will make it awful will not be the oversleeping but my thoughts/attitude about it. Here I am at a decision point. The awfulness could end right there with the oversleeping if instead I say, "Okay I overslept, but my mind can think of ways to deal with it. " I would then be more calm and relaxed. Being calm and relaxed frees up my creative subconscious mind which is virtually limitless in ideas it presents to me. And that includes problem solving the over-sleeping.

Our subconscious mind (the real powerhouse and seat of creation) can not think. It "obeys" the conscious thinking mind. So, if I oversleep and sarcastically think "Oh crap! Great start on the day. I'll never catch up" the subconscious mind is geared to follow up on that line of thinking. And thus it is the thought process that makes that day not such a good one - or finds the way to overcome the time issue and create a good day.

Cause and effect of thoughts can be subtle and hard to catch but it is very powerful. Our thinking/conscious mind is always on and always chattering. It isn't that the thinking mind is bad or wrong, but it can be like a crazy monkey in a gift shop - wreaking havoc to say the least. If we don't train our mind, the gift shop (our life) can become an utter mess. And we would assume we had nothing to do with it ~ but we are NOT powerless!

One of the ways to empowerment is keeping our thinking mind at peace. This is the road to what seems like miracles happening in our life. It isn't that some people are born "lucky." We create our luck. But we can't do it with negative thinking. Thoughts create. Add feelings and you have the key to major power.

That is why I invite you to utilize the idea of the garage sale stickers. When we try to make our conscious mind do a certain thing, such as "think peaceful thoughts" it can be as though someone turned on the wrong switch and all the worries and stresses rush into our mind. Yikes! Where did that come from? Or we attempt to meditate and our to do list demands attention, ceaselessly nagging at us. Don't worry if you think you can't meditate/relax. There are easier ways, I believe, than training with a guru or reading all the self-help books available. If those work for you that is great; but if they do not help that is perfectly fine.

Each of us is a unique individual. Not only do you have your own unique purpose in life that no one but YOU can fulfill but it makes sense that there is a unique way in which your mind works. At the same time there are some basics about the mind and how we are created that are universal. What the garage sale stickers do is to bring forth gratitude. You might be rushing around trying to get something done, stress begins to rise, negative thinking is inviting itself in, when your eyes scan one of the garage sale stickers. Your more powerful subconscious is automatically reminded about something pleasant that you are thankful for. This interupts the circuit of the less than positive thought > feeling > belief > action. In its place is a pleasant feeling. The brain baths you in positive chemicals. This now begins its own cycle which literally follows a different circuitry in the brain. In reality, you have the ability to train your brain and master Energy. This is one of the easiest ways to do it.

Until next time~
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn