Pretending

I remember those days of healing after my heart transplant, and how very hard they were. There was pain, loneliness, questions, confusion, anxiety, and a whole host of other dilemmas that constituted the days and nights of my life.  No one could be with me 24 hours a day to share in all of it. And, that was a good thing because it gave me the space for learning coping skills. There is power in loneliness. Although that may not be the truest statement, I pretended it was. To combat my pain, I pretended it didn't exist. I called it's persistence an annoyance and created visions of comfort, relaxation, and calm. I pretended I was bigger than it and that it had no power over me.  When the haze of confusion set in, culminating in anxiety because of it's distortions, I said a few mantras, like: "God willing and me trying---I will get through this." And, "I am in charge of how I think---confusion has no power over me!"  The other dilemmas, many of a personal nature, were chances for me to review my life, all the mistakes, heartbreaks, and wins. Once they were put into perspective, a wiser perspective prevailed.

What's my point? I think you know--the power of pretending. It sure does come in handy. You can be anything you want to be when you pretend.  When you pretend your okay--you are. When you pretend your happy--you are. When you pretend your beautiful -- you are. When you pretend your well-- you are.

As you start the week, think about the power of pretending. Talk to your coach about it. Decide to pretend. Have some fun with it. Make it work for you.

Are you pretending?