Almost everyone is affected by obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors, even if we don’t realize it. Take worry, for example – it’s an obsessive thought pattern we’ve normalized. We fret about not fitting in, being late for an appointment, or whether not people will like us. These worries often spiral, consuming our thoughts and creating unnecessary stress; and those are the more obvious examples. While society may deem worrying as a sign of responsibility or care, it actually does us no good. The mind is simply playing a trick that we have become accustomed to, a coping mechanism that has outlived its usefulness. Our incessant patterns not only drain our mental energy but also keeps us stuck in a loop of anxiety, as it is providing a false sense of security or false power; but in our experience we like the emotional hit we get, although it’s distressing. A great deal of our self-generated stress that we are unaware of is like having a radio constantly playing in the background; and only when we turn it off that we realize how much noise there was. Acknowledging that there are seemingly hidden patterns operating as obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors is the first step towards living a more peaceful and all-inclusive life of gratitude and appreciation. Once we step into a deeper level of self-honesty by opening to the possibility that our coping skills are working against us, we start transforming our relationship with our thoughts and behaviors (and feelings), becoming aware that we are neither our thoughts or behaviors; which leads to a more serene mind.

Reframing Our Perspectives

Imagine your mind as a playful puppy, darting around, sometimes causing chaos. This puppy, while adorable, can occasionally knock things over or make a mess, like worry and inner conflict affect us internally. By tenderly acknowledging these quirks, we can begin to calm the puppy down and restore order, so to speak. When you catch yourself obsessing or engaging in compulsive behavior, gently recognize it. Instead of criticizing yourself, you might say with a smile, “Ah, there you are, my little petty tyrant.” This simple act of acknowledgment, done with compassion, can significantly reduce anxiety and illuminate the calmness, inner peace, and presence always here now, within.

Furthermore, by accepting and understanding our obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors with grace and loving kindness, we allow ourselves to see them for what they truly are: temporary and innocent responses to stress or discomfort – innocent coping mechanisms. For instance, by acknowledging any number of habits we engage in that no longer serve us not as flaws, but as a sign of seeking safety or comfort, brings a sense of calm and understanding. This compassionate perspective helps us realize that these patterns are not defining characteristics or the reality of ourselves, but rather coping strategies that can be managed and ultimately transformed and dissolved, in this life! By embracing our inner quirks with kindness in lieu of self-contempt or self-punishment, we create a space where we can begin to shift our patterns no matter what they are, and realize a more balanced and peaceful experience and sense of being.

Consciously Healing

Using a conscious process to heal these habits can be transformative. Think of it as training that playful puppy with love and patience. When you notice obsessive or compulsive tendencies, take a deep breath which seems to ground our attention in the present. Notice the discomfort in your body and allow yourself to be with that experience, observing that the thoughts are merely thoughts and uncomfortable energy that feed the obsessions and compulsions. When we allow ourselves to be with this discomfort until it runs its course without trying to change, avoid, or modify the experience, we are working directly with the fuel of these behaviors and thoughts. This conscious approach not only breaks the cycle but also empowers us to cultivate a more peaceful and resilient mind. By consistently practicing this, we can transform our inner landscape, turning moments of anxiety into opportunities for growth and self-compassion. So, let’s embrace our quirks with a smile and start living more consciously!

Compliments of Collective Healing Anonymous

Dear Beloved,

I am going to tell you about the goodness within you which needs no reason, validation, nor condition to be met, ever. It seeks nothing for itself but is the embodiment of only goodness, understanding, and inclusivity as the highest compassionate possibility of life itself – as the direct source of everlasting love, peace, joy, wholeness, and trust – the Real You!

What you really are as the Mystery of Life unfolding is a possibility of revealing inherent goodness – not of wanting personal validation, consolation, or credit – yet true inner freedom beyond wanting and needing. For the goodness I AM, and speak of, and write about and know, is beyond self serving motivation and attachment to personal account or misfortune. For we are – YOU ARE – that very timeless goodness you have seemingly and innocently forgotten for a while, but already know in your heart, your essence, your being – that you are life expressing – prior to our addictions and obsessions to thinking, talking, comparing, analyzing, and compulsive doing – all of which continue masking and veiling our eternal essence, right here now. 

You already sense a trueness within which evaporates unworthiness, guilt, hatred, confusion, doubt, and the illusion of separation.  Let it go – let it flow; surrendering, surrendering, surrendering; forgiving, forgiving, forgiving; allowing, allowing, allowing; welcoming, welcoming, welcoming; opening, opening, opening. 

You already are. You already know – beyond and prior to thinking, assuming, and believing.

However, it appears we have become lost somehow in the limited realms of believing, assuming, and identifying, and forgone or have never fully known our truest and deepest essence as life itself – Universal Wholeness incapable of greed, hatred, delusion, and exclusivity.

Therefore, we must embrace entirely new dimensions of compassionate and radical honesty to transcend our denial once and for all – denial as resistance to urgent, necessary, and honest inner and outer transformation. The time is NOW to genuinely, willingly, and openly welcome reconnecting, feeling, healing, and awakening in new and exciting ways – so that our universal yet unique individual expressions can joyfully manifest a truly compassionate, loving, and non divisive world.

Let us welcome and open unto new and exciting Sacred Processes of Awakening beyond our self defeating socially acceptable normalized patterns and routines sustaining division and delusions no longer serving overall wellbeing.

With Great Humility and Sincerity,

Peace President