Extreme Opposites

Good Day,

When I was young I spent many days playing by myself due to the fact that we were one of the first families to purchase a home in our new neighborhood. I was a very independent self sustaining child with quite the imagination and the ability to entertain myself for hours on end.

One game I always played in my head was "extreme opposites" in which I tried to do or imagine the exact opposite of whatever was going on physically or within my head. At that young age it became a great exercise in discovery because I did not always know the opposite of something. The opposite of up was down of course, but what was the opposite of mother?

Silly games often get left behind as we mature, but the lessons we can learn from those playful days can serve a purpose in our adult lives and I still find myself playing opposites on a grander scale. These days as adults we utter, mutter, and wish for all sorts of craziness when we are stressed or put into difficult situations. This is where my childhood game of opposites comes into play - whenever I find myself having a thought that seems odd or out of place or I wish things were another way I simply stop for a few seconds and verbalize out loud the exact opposite thought or situation. You will be surprised how quickly this little exercise can put things into perspective (especially your own thoughts)!

When I was suffering from anxiety attacks based on being around people I only felt comfortable within the confines of my own home, away from others. It was so bad at one point I remember wishing that every where was my familar and safe home so that I would always be comfortable wherever I went. Realizing this was an unhealthy state of mind I played opposites which resulted in this mental statement: No where is home and I can never be comfortable anywhere I go!

This may sound like a terrfying thought with little to no benefit, yet it seemed so true and strange that it really snapped me into another level of thinking. I am not sure if it was the attention to the subject or just envisioning the opposite, but it really prompted me to get up and get out. It caused me to question what "home" is and how I define "comfort." The process ran deep and really got me to investigate and move beyond the words and concepts that I was allowing to imprison me.

All from a simple childhood game.

Now I cannot claim this will work for everyone, but I do know that taking an interest in all your own quirks and peculiarities can be a liberating experience if we approach it with a sense of wonder and play. Be curious about all of your life, not just the parts you have down pat, but the parts you avoid are simpy do not understand and I promise you will find a forgotten yet familar friend along the way.

Peace and Love, Jim