Do You Regularly Check in With Yourself – You Know – Like, How You’re Feeling and Why? Do You Sometimes Feel This Sense of Underlying Discontent, Angry But Not Sure Why? I’m Going to Tell You a Story:

I’m going to tell you a story:  Norman Vincent Peale, the author of “The Power of Positive Thinking” – was often asked to go visit someone who was sick or in the hospital.  He would often say to them at some point during his visit, “What’s eating at you?” – like we’d say today – What’s bothering you?”  One time, he was asked to go and visit a woman in the hospital who was very sick, but no one could figure out what this disease was – no one could help her.  She remained in the hospital.  Mr. Peale finally asked her, “What’s Eating at You?”  She thought a few minutes and finally said, “You know, I’m supposed to be getting married and I’m just not wanting to marry this man.  The invitations have already been sent out; all of the arrangements have been made and everything is all set, and I just don’t want to do this!  To the best of my recollection, Norman essentially told her that, “this is what your dis-ease is all about.  To be rid of this, there is only one thing left to do - call off the wedding.”  He told her to just be honest, state your peace and follow your heart to overcome your intense dis-ease and deal with what must be dealt with, say what’s got to be said.  She brightened up (and he had literally given her permission to state what was wrong to her fiancé), the wedding was called off and she suddenly was perfectly fine.  The dis-ease disappeared promptly and entirely.  It seemed miraculous!

Often, we are unsure of our dis-ease, our not feeling comfortable in our own skin.  What we need to do is go often to the quiet room and sit quiet and ask yourself, as God, “what is bothering you, Angela?” Just sit quietly and wait for thoughts to form.  And, oh they WILL if things are bothering you that you are not aware of.  As God to reveal them if they don’t come.  But they will come.  Now, make a list of these things as fast as you can and then get to changing each and everything that you can.  It might be to cancel an appointment, it might be to call a creditor to work out a bill you can’t pay on time, it might be someone you need to let go out of your life. It might be a bad marriage that you know you need to leave but are afraid to do so.  In that case, be honest that this is the situation and begin a process of planning out how to leave.  Join a 12-Step group, go to a support group, get counseling, get a plan on what needs to happen to pull it off.  But – when we don’t – we suffer greatly.  We get into unconscious resentment and unconscious because we won’t allow ourselves to think about it.