Yesterday was a rough day for Jess. Nothing was going my way, it seemed. Baby got sick, dogs were driving me nuts, cats wanted to be fed all the time, seems like all I got in the mail was bills, and no one was returning my calls. Do you ever have those days? I hate them! But, after feeling sorry for myself and getting over the frustration that plagues all of us, I asked why it was that I was so upset. It all came down to one thing: FEAR. Gets me every time.

One good thing to practice when negative emotions surface (and, boy, do they ever) is making/writing down a list of those things that bother me or lead to the negative emotion in the first place. Then just keep asking "why?" For example, I was upset because I kept getting bills in the mail. Why? Well, because I hate paying them. Why? Because I’m afraid I won’t have enough money to pay them as well as do all the other things I like to do for fun. There’s that word: AFRAID. Fear. But, here’s the reality:ALL NEGATIVE EMOTION STEMS FROM FEARSo, if you can take a look at it – examine it like a slide under a microscope – and see where the fear originated. Even better. I’m afraid of bills perhaps because I saw my parents struggle with money sometimes. But, the key is not to blame them! It is to look at that fear, straight in the face, and heal it. Here are some steps:1. What is the fear and where did it originate?2. Come to grips with it – accept it (it’s ok to have fears)3. Think of the worst case scenario (could it ever really get that bad?)4. Visualize what you WANT. Whatever you envision, you project.5. Make goals – write down objectives, start small if the bigger stuff freaks you outI need to practice what I preach. So, I’ll be making my list right now!Oh, and one more thing – I needed to remind myself that I am loved no matter what. Whether you truly believe it or not, there are people surrounding you who would drop everything to come help. They are our earth angels. Remember to thank them.Big, big hugs!Jess