Are you somebody that’s spending too much time in a negative mindset? Well it’s time for you now to stop worrying and start living. You can’t spend every minute panicking about things at the cost of the life you live.
Can you imagine being on a train journey and every time you started to pick up some speed something comes along to derail you? It knocks you off the tracks. But you’re determined so you climb back on board and get going again. No matter how many times you get derailed you keep going and ultimately get
to your destination.
Maybe that’s the story of your life. Many knock backs but no knockout punches. Things haven’t been easy but you refuse to give up. You keep pursuing your destination which no doubts is one where you enjoy success, happiness and good health, where you learn to stop worrying and start living.
You see my life is like the train that keeps derailing. It’s just happened again.
I’m at a point right now where most of my goals for the year have been accomplished. My book has recently been published, my new website housing the course I created is nearly completed, I have been offered a speaking role for the RNIB, my social life is great having re-joined the Jewish community and I thought at last my health was vastly improving. Even though I’ve had 3 small operations everything has been great in 2016. Much of it is down to following the single page plan, that’s the book I’ve just published, believe it or not. For the first time in 2 years it seemed that there was even a chance of my right eye, my blind eye being returned to much better vision. Who would have believed this a few months back? Especially having been told by my original consultant that I’d never see through it again. Thank God and second opinions.
I had a terrible night Thursday last. I was kept awake by this strange sensation in my left eye the good one. It felt like I had some grit stuck behind my eyeball. I probably only got a couple of hours of sleep. Eventually I decided enough was enough and I’d get up. As normal I sat on edge of bed just waiting for my eye to focus. It wouldn’t. I waited 10 minutes and decided I needed to wash my eye there had to be something in it. It did help enough that I could see to get around. For the next few hours I focused on my business and the things I could do. About 10 I thought I best open all the curtains and get light into the house. On doing so I was attacked by a swarm of flies. They were all around. Some almost touching my nose and ears. They were everywhere. I tried swatting them but kept missing. ‘Dam it they’re not flies they’re floaters. Not again, I don’t believe it. I thought the last operation had taken care of them. Is it because now having some sight back in my right eye they’re happening again?’ So I covered my right eye, the one that had the 5 operations and sight loss but to my shock the floaters were still there. I didn’t want to think what this meant. ‘No bloody way it can’t be I won’t allow it not in my other eye.’ Slowly and I admit with nervousness I covered up my left good eye and …. the floaters were gone. I just sat down in complete disbelief. It took about 30 minutes for me to come to terms with it, decided I’d deal with it tomorrow but I had to get some essential marketing done on my book first. I literally made the decision to stop worrying and start living. No more was my eyesight going to hold me back. Alas It didn’t take long for me to realise I couldn’t wait. I was struggling with a hair constantly dangling in front of my face and I kept trying to brush it away. But it kept coming back. Literally every 30 seconds time and again. Even once I’d realised it wasn’t a hair my automatic reaction was to try and brush it away.
Finally when I started to see a cobweb appear in front of my vision and literally it seemed I was peering through this white flimsy cotton like material I decided to stop work. After a call to the Sunderland eye infirmary I was in an ambulance on the way there.
After my 1st few examinations they said they were looking for a split in my retina. I just sat there thinking this can’t be right, things like this don’t happen to my left eye. It’s been safe from all the crap the other ones gone through.
Anyway the good news is I was diagnosed with a Vitreous Haemorrhage. Well two of them, but no split and no detachments, well at least not so far. This is a bleed in the eye’s vitreous humour, the clear gel that fills the space between the lens and the retina of the eye. Hopefully these will heal on their own and things will be back to normal and a follow up has been made and the possibility of laser treatment discussed.
It’s now 5 days later. The killer flies still are bombarding me if I go onto daylight. This white blanket of cobweb constantly appears and obviously my vision is currently not great. Driving is of course out the question. Frustrating. The pain and the irritation is constant and yes is a concern. Sitting at the computer is certainly not easy, and I have to limit my time. It is a pain because there’s so much I want to do in order to market my book, but I remind myself these things happen.
I’m not getting myself in a panic. I accept what the worst case scenario could be, and I am I’m taking precautions in case the worst happens. I’m certainly not expecting it but better to be safe than sorry. But what is important as I titled this article is for me to stop worrying and start living because what will be will be and it’s simply crazy to worry about what may or may not happen.
I’m certainly limited in what I can do right now but life goes on as does my goals which are still driving me and will be fulfilled. It is the power of my goals, my desire for them which undoubtedly drives me and keeps me going. Being a realist you could say in the back of my mind a little voice tells me to make the most of every day get everything I want done particularly if they require sight.
It’s all down to our attitude. I speak with all sorts of people, many who inspire me, especially some of the younger ‘blind’ ones who make sure they make the most of every day creating opportunities where they stop worrying and start living full lives.
We all at times are faced with making choices especially when confronted by difficulties. Life will keep going on. This means we can let things get the better of us or show determination and persistence, either way things will still keep humming along.
What I know is that tomorrow I will be one day older…and my day could be awesome and beautiful and perfect or it could be dreadful, ugly and scary. With every breath I have I will aim for it to be the former.
I will deal with every problem that comes along. I will do everything possible to avoid anything bad from happening. I will live every day as it may be my last making it perfect and still trying to achieve my amazing goals. These provide me the power and energy to keep going through even the toughest times. It’s my belief that I will achieve them that makes me fight through every derailment I face. They excite me too much to give up on as should yours.
No matter how hard you try, you may find yourself banging your head against a wall, failing to achieve the things you want. Maybe life events keep you down — like a death, job lay-off, family tragedy, natural disaster, etc. Whatever your story you just need to make the decision to stop worrying and start living. Maybe make it your affirmation.
Repeat 20 times
‘From this moment forward I promise myself I will stop worrying and start living the best I can.’
We have the capacity to change, to evolve, to succeed, and to be happy. You must accept that, and therefore act on it.
You need to determine big goals – Dream Big Dreams! Allow yourself to imagine and fantasize about the kind of life you would like to live. See yourself living it.
It seems so easy to allow our troubles to take centre stage in our life, to allow the negativity to overwhelm us. Well I say Hell to that. While I have even the smallest amount of vision i’ll make the most of every minute I have. Like this weekend although I wasn’t physically in a great state, I made sure I spent many hours being with and playing with my two grandchildren. I don’t know how many times I’ll get to do this so I’m going to do it as often as I can while I can. I will make sure I take time for every special moment. I will allow my eyes to take in every smile, every giggle in case I never can again. And if I can’t then I’ll find other things to pay attention to, because nothing will stop me from enjoying life.
Here is a great question for you to ask and answer, over and over again: “What one thing would inspire me to keep going no matter how many times I’m derailed?’
Whatever it is, write it down and begin imagining that you have achieved this one great goal already. Then, look back to where you are today. What would you have done to get where you want to go? What steps would you have taken? What would you have changed in your life? What would you have started up or abandoned? Who would you be with? Who would you no longer be with? If your life were perfect in every respect, what would it look like? Whatever it is that you would do differently, take the first steps today.
No matter what happens today, promise yourself that you’ll stop worrying and start living the way you’re meant to where every second counts and your happiness is paramount.
For me my life journey continues. I may now have Vitreous Haemorrhages in my good eye, but I make the choice to stop worrying and start living because I don’t have a crystal ball and so don’t know what tomorrow brings. I’ll just do my best to make sure it’s great!
Thank you for reading my ramblings.
NOTICE:The Kindle version of my book will be FREE through Amazon on Friday 18th AND Saturday 19th of November, for two days only. It’s called The Single Page Plan – Goal Setting Made Easy and coaches you through a powerful process to create your personal life plan, determining clear short term and long term goals. Go get it for FREE on Friday at Amazon.
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