So it’s been awhile since I had my colonoscopy and I just received the results yesterday. The physician was on vacation for 2 weeks. All is fine, but there is an important mental process that occurred for me.
Of course, your mind can think of the worst possible case. ‘Oh no, I have colon cancer. The doctor hasn’t called, so I must have something really bad.’ Well I could have given in to the negative thoughts, but I really believe, this is at the core of why I have been able to work through so many different situations, both good and bad.
When I look back at the challenges I had with MS 30+ years ago, I had no clue what was happening to me or what MS even was. Heck, they thought I had a brain tumor at one point. But when I found out I had cancer earlier this year, I thought back to that time and tried to remember my thoughts.
I realized I didn’t spend much time thinking of the worst-case health scenarios, but instead tried to focus on things I liked, in particular getting back on my bicycle. Feeling the wind in my face, seeing the fields go by as I rode with a tailwind and many more freeing thoughts as I lay on my back on the floor in my small apartment. I had a spinal headache. It was the result of one of the tests they ran to figure out what was wrong with me. Very memorable.
I recognized, although at the time I didn’t realize it, the thoughts you spend your time with are the most powerful ones you can have and the beliefs you maintain behind those thoughts determine your future.
If you think of your self as healthy and think healthy thoughts, you’ll be healthier than someone who believes they’re sickly and spends their time wondering what ailment will come next.
