We can examine the opposite of this thought—”This SHOULD be different than it is.” (What I consider to be the ONE THOUGHT behind all emotional pain). Helping yourself to neutralize the emotional charge from that thought by turning this around to the opposite way of thinking yields the statement, “THIS SHOULDN’T be different than it is.”
Did you know there is a way to genuinely, openly, efficiently, and safely examine the opposite of an exhausting truth, a limiting belief, or a negative thought? For example, we can examine the opposite of this thought—”This SHOULD be different than it is.” (What I consider to be the ONE THOUGHT behind all emotional pain). Helping yourself to neutralize the emotional charge from that thought by turning this around to the opposite way of thinking yields the statement, “THIS SHOULDN’T be different than it is.”
Then find genuine believable examples for why it shouldn’t be different—i.e., why it makes sense that it is exactly as it is. (And even if we can’t find how it makes sense, we can still move the mind into trusting the only reality that showed up in that moment, by saying what I call the 100% turn-around: “It shouldn’t be different, because it’s not!. It shouldn’t be different unless it is. It shouldn’t be different until it is!”)
The Work’s specific way of turning my argument with reality over to the great “what’s happening” dissolved much of my stress, and changed my life instantly when I first heard it. (Really! That’s partly why I now teach it.) This “turnaround to the opposite” is only one kind of turnaround. But it’s a good one!
Finding examples of the opposite of a polarized belief helps the mind see how this new “inverted” version of the thought you have been believing— that has been terrifying, paralyzing, or triggering you—can be equally true if not more true than the original thought that was causing all your stress. It may sound more complex than it really is, but these simple turnarounds are genuine prescriptions for peace. When the mind is given an opportunity to see its own errors in logic, a whole new unlimited source of possibilities opens and grants us the freedom to choose.
This video examines the opposite or turnaround of believing the thought…”I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”
The END OF FEAR!
Turning around our thinking from “I don’t ever want to feel this way ever again” to “I look forward to ” or “I am willing to” feel this way again is mind-blowing to contemplate, yet it was the beginning of the end of fear for me! The number 6 turnaround on a Judge Your Neighbor worksheet has important and powerful implications. It is acceptance of “what is”, it is also love for what is, loving the fact that I get to see what is causing me pain and suffering and I now have a process to bring myself out of it.
Working the turnarounds are a part of The Work of Byron Katie’s inquiry process, which I teach as one of the foundations of my NO-MATTER-WHAT Way. It is a simple self-inquiry process and I am a Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. I teach The Work and how to use it, along with my Wheel of Self-Love, another incredible tool for empowerment and problem-solving—in my “Get-YOU-Back BOOTCAMP” (a 6-week or self-paced digital course with LIVE support) kicking off June 28th.
You can message me here at support@shawnmahshie.com for more info or jump straight into a NO-MATTER-WHAT strategy call by clicking the link below to schedule a call.
xoxo,
🙂 Shawn
