Again! I've left it a while but I hope everyone that has needed this site has been able to benefit from my previous posts and will continue to benefit for as long as you want!! :D
My recent dealings with our friends the spots\floaters have been mainly positive, but I must admit that even knowing all I\we know, even the best seasoned floatbusters can lose their footing every once and a while. Me definitely included!! :D ... I still think an amazing tool is talking to people about it, sometimes I find friends and family may not understand completely. So it's best to talk to someone who knows what you are talking about, me!! and the regular pals that email me with their stories. It's so vital I believe to have a site like this, and just like I'm doing now - it's important to once and a while remind yourself "hey, I'm not alone in this - there are people I can talk to, just to say whats on my mind". If you can't talk to someone, and you are tired of emailing me!! haha, why not write it down. Because i know how sometimes spots\floaters can not trouble you for hours\days\months in the slightest. Then right out of the blue, a headache comes on, or some other stressor appears and it's hard not to feel that , by worrying you have let yourself down.
Don't be too hard on yourself!! haha, and I'm speaking from experience - I think sometimes its hard to tell the forest from the trees (not quite sure what that quote means fully but it felt appropriate :P ) Here's an example that popped into my mind the other day.
Scenario A: Just say you are at home, its a cold night, you've got your heater on - you are wrapped out all toasty, and then there is a pesky fly buzzing around your room. Now depending on your current state, you will always notice the fly - thats just how humans are, we sense motion and then interpret whether this is something we should be concerned about or not... lets say on this occasion you had a great day, you're looking forward to a new video game (me!) or some event thats coming up. I'd say the effect this fly will have on you, will be massively reduced... after a while you may not even notice it! haha, take that pesky fly, you don't bother me :D
Scenario B!! :D ... today its boiling hot, you have your fan on - its not making any difference, in the back of you're mind theres that thing you HAVE to do that you are not looking forward too, you are running low on money etc ... now lets get that fly back in the scenario buzzing around. The fact that there are many aspects of your life that you are not comfortable with, and lets say that you have limited control over - are going to massively enhance the threat response to any stimuli! ...you're in the same room, its the same brightness, you are still the same person :P - but more obviously is the radically different state that you are in. I would predict that as opposed to trying to adapt to the fly which is just one more thing you don't want to deal with, the likely scenario is probably a blurred version of you throwing wild punches in the air.
It may seem like an odd observation - but it just goes to show how current mood\pain levels affect you ability to tolerate extra situations. I know this for a fact, Christmas eve just been I was soooo excited about Christmas, I went for a run that 9 months ago I would have hated - I loved every minute of it. I had toleration to burn, spots\floaters were an after thought, and although they could probably be slightly observed (like the fly in the scenarios) ... my interpretation by my brain was that this was insignificant and posed no threat.... WOW!! Scenario A rocks!!
It helps me to think of those scenarios - and if spots\floaters are bothering you - then think of that fly scenario and think, which scenario am I in. Was everything going perfect until the fly came along, or was I in scenario B whereby the fly became the scapegoat that every single problem got associated with ... have a think and see if you can apply that to your life, I will too! :D
Everyone is doing amazing, and as always - if you find yourself in that B scenario - where you have too many factors outside of your control, thats where the 'floaterproof vest' comes in handy from my previous blogs. I think psychologically it gives you an advantage, because it is a relaxation technique where you can make nothing matter - leave the world for ten-twenty minutes. Thats when you realise that, to know you can't always control how you will feel in situations, but you can everyday put yourself in a situation that you will have control over (the relaxation place). The biggest suit of armor you can own is the simple fact that "maybe I can't control this current situation , but you know what - in two hours I'll be home, in my relaxation place and nothing can touch me then, or first thing tomorrow I'll be relaxed and steering my own ship thank you very much! I am in control of my life, and nothing else!!" ... feel the power from that situation B slip away :D!!
I did that just now as i got home from work, and i guarantee you'll always be in the state of mind I am "nahh, I don't need to do that" or "that won't make a difference' ... but ten times out of ten, and its a dramatic improvement and feeling like i've got hold of the steering wheel in my life!! ... I forget everytime, everyday how good it is afterwards, but I'm getting better.
Hope this helped in someway, and as always feel free to email me if you just need someone to talk to about this all!! Together we'll put this issues into the history books!!
Take care
Paul
Friday, 29 February 2008
Friday, 26 October 2007
How has it been two months!! haha! great news!
Hey all!! Thanks for keeping on reading this blog, I've had some great emails recently and am really pleased that we've got a place to talk about this stuff and to get some helping tips to sort this out for good! I was recently in the United States hence my lack of updates but now I am home I thought I would post some new tips and things I've figured out!!
More and more I've been having more good days than bad days - I've really been trying to get to the core of why they are such a hassle and they way I see it ... is that is can become quite a vicious cycle ... the fact you have these eye occupants, can get you down, and then because you are down, they bother you more, and they fact that they are bothering you ... ... ... ... etc etc until you do what i do is either hit a wall or enter a comfortable blind rage!! Doh!!! :D
One silly thought came into my head the other day, we all have super vision!! How incredible that our vision is so amazing we can see tiny paricles on a cellular level, what an achievement!! hahah .. anyway thats not my big news tip but it made me laugh, next time someone says whats your deal, say hey I'm doing great with this supervision!! haha!
Anyhow, the revolution came for me really when i was in America, I kept thinking all these thoughts before I went over, how much they were going to bother me, how if I went over the grand canyon in a helicoptor they would take away all my enjoyment ... talk about working myself into a state - but you know what, if i was to say the impact they had on me over there for the whole three weeks, amazing it probably clocked in a 0.65% impact.... this really had me curious.
You know what the difference was, over there i was looking forward to reading USA today, looking forward to the late night shows, looking forward to trying great burgers, looking forward to trying some new ice creams, doing what I wanted to do!
I was in such a positive frame of mind, its like the floaters and everything didn't even register - now Im not saying they were not there. I'm saying that the sting had been taking out of them, I remember at one point noticing them and my reaction was 'WeeeeEEeee' ... i mean serously, what a turn around.
Coming home however i seemed to fall back into old habits, I was insanely curious. Had I just found the cure to taking the sting out of them??? could being in a different state of mind and knowing that this constant barrage would be basically dis-armed - I mean that is seriously cool! ... and I know you can do it as much as I can.
But you know what I had to do, was to stop thinking about operations, seeing other people, basically putting my life in other peoples hands, my happyness. It mine to do whatever i want with it, and if I start going down that worry path then the simplest answer is i need to do something I love, i need to get excited about something, because thats what will block the hit, thats what will take out the sting.
Not to be morbid but no one is going to have this challenge, we will all be six feet under one day - probably in another place getting our scorecards read to us - so this is not a forever kind of thing, and I think getting out of that forever thinking frees you to replace is with some good ol' fashion fun!! some great times ... even when I've received emails from people, I detect a way of writing that seems a bit down, I mean all you have to do is look at my earlier posts to see what that is like. Talk to someone who has found out the key to dealing with these and they will probably have a lot more jokes in there, and some humour! ... the magic is\way is that human beings are the ultimate adaptable animal. We can adapt to anything, out brains and a million times more powerful than what they get used for, there is a simple program we can run to get us out of a bad space, and its worth a shot !! :D
Look its just a thought\theory Ive had recently and good and bad days come along, and when your in a bad space, you just have to acknowledge it , but don't let it suck ya down , if you look around there will be a life presever floating (no pun intended!) in the water right next to ya, but if ya keep looking down you'll never see it! I'm trying to get back to my thinking in America, where seriously I was so damn excited about everything, I was so amped that nothing could break through that feeling, it was too strong... if I can do it, you can do it!
Again to re-iterate, i really think we can do this on our own, and we don't have to put outselves as people on a shelf until someone comes out with some kind of physical cure - a mental frame of mind will do the trick!
What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger right - I think we are probably all body builders by now!!! hahaha!!
Anyway everyone, please let me know how ya get on!!! and if you need a vent, then thats ok too!!
Your awesome!
Paul
More and more I've been having more good days than bad days - I've really been trying to get to the core of why they are such a hassle and they way I see it ... is that is can become quite a vicious cycle ... the fact you have these eye occupants, can get you down, and then because you are down, they bother you more, and they fact that they are bothering you ... ... ... ... etc etc until you do what i do is either hit a wall or enter a comfortable blind rage!! Doh!!! :D
One silly thought came into my head the other day, we all have super vision!! How incredible that our vision is so amazing we can see tiny paricles on a cellular level, what an achievement!! hahah .. anyway thats not my big news tip but it made me laugh, next time someone says whats your deal, say hey I'm doing great with this supervision!! haha!
Anyhow, the revolution came for me really when i was in America, I kept thinking all these thoughts before I went over, how much they were going to bother me, how if I went over the grand canyon in a helicoptor they would take away all my enjoyment ... talk about working myself into a state - but you know what, if i was to say the impact they had on me over there for the whole three weeks, amazing it probably clocked in a 0.65% impact.... this really had me curious.
You know what the difference was, over there i was looking forward to reading USA today, looking forward to the late night shows, looking forward to trying great burgers, looking forward to trying some new ice creams, doing what I wanted to do!
I was in such a positive frame of mind, its like the floaters and everything didn't even register - now Im not saying they were not there. I'm saying that the sting had been taking out of them, I remember at one point noticing them and my reaction was 'WeeeeEEeee' ... i mean serously, what a turn around.
Coming home however i seemed to fall back into old habits, I was insanely curious. Had I just found the cure to taking the sting out of them??? could being in a different state of mind and knowing that this constant barrage would be basically dis-armed - I mean that is seriously cool! ... and I know you can do it as much as I can.
But you know what I had to do, was to stop thinking about operations, seeing other people, basically putting my life in other peoples hands, my happyness. It mine to do whatever i want with it, and if I start going down that worry path then the simplest answer is i need to do something I love, i need to get excited about something, because thats what will block the hit, thats what will take out the sting.
Not to be morbid but no one is going to have this challenge, we will all be six feet under one day - probably in another place getting our scorecards read to us - so this is not a forever kind of thing, and I think getting out of that forever thinking frees you to replace is with some good ol' fashion fun!! some great times ... even when I've received emails from people, I detect a way of writing that seems a bit down, I mean all you have to do is look at my earlier posts to see what that is like. Talk to someone who has found out the key to dealing with these and they will probably have a lot more jokes in there, and some humour! ... the magic is\way is that human beings are the ultimate adaptable animal. We can adapt to anything, out brains and a million times more powerful than what they get used for, there is a simple program we can run to get us out of a bad space, and its worth a shot !! :D
Look its just a thought\theory Ive had recently and good and bad days come along, and when your in a bad space, you just have to acknowledge it , but don't let it suck ya down , if you look around there will be a life presever floating (no pun intended!) in the water right next to ya, but if ya keep looking down you'll never see it! I'm trying to get back to my thinking in America, where seriously I was so damn excited about everything, I was so amped that nothing could break through that feeling, it was too strong... if I can do it, you can do it!
Again to re-iterate, i really think we can do this on our own, and we don't have to put outselves as people on a shelf until someone comes out with some kind of physical cure - a mental frame of mind will do the trick!
What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger right - I think we are probably all body builders by now!!! hahaha!!
Anyway everyone, please let me know how ya get on!!! and if you need a vent, then thats ok too!!
Your awesome!
Paul
Friday, 24 August 2007
Another tool we can all use!
I received a great email, and it was that same question that we all ask sometimes! Haha, how come our good friends spots and floaters didn't bother me for the last day\week\month\year\life!!! and how come yesterday was so great and they didn't bother me but today quite frankly they are really testing my patience.
I wish I knew!!! hahah, but I there is something extra I do know and it came to me while replying to a email from a fellow chosen one. The key factor here is stress will really wear down your armour, and if you are not constantly topping it up daily (which again I still struggle to do but am trying!! :) yes its my own fault I know!!!) then it really makes this great gift we all have to not so easy to see for what it is.
One thing I'm particularily good at is- if I get stressed out about any little thing, I tend to think of spots and floaters as the root of all my problems. Which I know they are not, but sometimes I can doubt myself if I'm run down or really worked up. E.g At the moment i've got a really annoying cough and generally feeling a bit sick, I had this killer headache - i was wondering why I felt so lousy and the thought popped into my head "spots\floaters - theres your answer right there" haha I mean you have to laugh because I know that they are not the explanation to why I feel lously at the moment, but when you are in one of those negative states - it can be quiet hard to try and come back with a convincing argument.
Unless!!! Unless you have some backup up your sleve - hoping that you won't need this step because you are scheduling daily ten minutes of relaxation - I thought about it more and then something else occured to me and I thought wow I could really use this in my life and hopefully your guys\gals can too.
If I have something else to keep my mind on, thinking about organizing an event or planning things to do for the day, it can
provide a nice distraction anytime. I've found that it really is only possible to concentrate on one thinking item at a time, so when the spots\floaters 'woe is me' record starts playing, put the needle through it and put that jukebox on shuffle!! :D Almost like one of those old movies when you are confronted with something you don't really like but you get to yell out "whats that over there!" and then sneak into a side alley!
My way of saying "whats that over there" when you start getting worked up about your eyes - and I've done it plenty of times that downward spiral, you really gotta cut it off - suddenly your thinking that the world hunger wouldn't exist without spots and floaters - say "Hey whats that over there!" ... well you don't actually have to say that (you can if you want too!!) haha, but
this is where you need to creat a diversion, and getting back to my original question - at X time I felt great, well I can almost guarantee that at X time, you were probably looking forward to something, you were engrossed in something and basically you were zoned out. Because sometimes I think the frustrating thing with spots and floaters is not being able to lose yourself in the moment sometimes, its like you feel like your've drawn the short straw and your pulling a double shift "hey I just want to relax here" ... thats why if you are going through a stressful time or whatever your circumstances are - book in some time in your day to do a hobby, play music, play a sport, anything that involves some problem solving, teamwork, repitition.
Something you can loose yourself in, because it is so important in life, not to be 'here' for every second of everyday - theres nothing wrong with it, but hey time flyes when your having fun - and if you are worked up then times going to drag!! Book that event, go for that walk, read that paper, hit the beach - all these things that sound sometimes a bit scary to be honest, seriously it has never once been as bad as I felt it in my mind. Whats that great quote by that person "I've lived through some terrbile events in my life ... and some of them actually happened!"
Hope that makes sense somehow, because it is possible to be in that frame of mind like you were in when spots and floaters were exactly the same, but it didn't worry you. Therefore when you think of that time when things were so great, ask yourself ... what great things were happening then, what was I involved in, were there things in my day that I completely got in the zone and lost myself. Secondly, lets scedule some of those things today!!
Anyhow!! I've waffled on again, but to recap in my previous blogs and todays - the following is essesential.
Getting out of your comfort zone, scheduling daily relaxation, zoning out through an activity\event, realising that there are always good and bad days - and on the bad days to really treat yourself and reward yourself for being such a soldier!
Until next time, I'm going to be trying this stuff out too, so any question\comment or ya just wanna have a catch up then please email me at floatbusters@gmail.com
Floaters schmoaters! :P
Paul
I wish I knew!!! hahah, but I there is something extra I do know and it came to me while replying to a email from a fellow chosen one. The key factor here is stress will really wear down your armour, and if you are not constantly topping it up daily (which again I still struggle to do but am trying!! :) yes its my own fault I know!!!) then it really makes this great gift we all have to not so easy to see for what it is.
One thing I'm particularily good at is- if I get stressed out about any little thing, I tend to think of spots and floaters as the root of all my problems. Which I know they are not, but sometimes I can doubt myself if I'm run down or really worked up. E.g At the moment i've got a really annoying cough and generally feeling a bit sick, I had this killer headache - i was wondering why I felt so lousy and the thought popped into my head "spots\floaters - theres your answer right there" haha I mean you have to laugh because I know that they are not the explanation to why I feel lously at the moment, but when you are in one of those negative states - it can be quiet hard to try and come back with a convincing argument.
Unless!!! Unless you have some backup up your sleve - hoping that you won't need this step because you are scheduling daily ten minutes of relaxation - I thought about it more and then something else occured to me and I thought wow I could really use this in my life and hopefully your guys\gals can too.
If I have something else to keep my mind on, thinking about organizing an event or planning things to do for the day, it can
provide a nice distraction anytime. I've found that it really is only possible to concentrate on one thinking item at a time, so when the spots\floaters 'woe is me' record starts playing, put the needle through it and put that jukebox on shuffle!! :D Almost like one of those old movies when you are confronted with something you don't really like but you get to yell out "whats that over there!" and then sneak into a side alley!
My way of saying "whats that over there" when you start getting worked up about your eyes - and I've done it plenty of times that downward spiral, you really gotta cut it off - suddenly your thinking that the world hunger wouldn't exist without spots and floaters - say "Hey whats that over there!" ... well you don't actually have to say that (you can if you want too!!) haha, but
this is where you need to creat a diversion, and getting back to my original question - at X time I felt great, well I can almost guarantee that at X time, you were probably looking forward to something, you were engrossed in something and basically you were zoned out. Because sometimes I think the frustrating thing with spots and floaters is not being able to lose yourself in the moment sometimes, its like you feel like your've drawn the short straw and your pulling a double shift "hey I just want to relax here" ... thats why if you are going through a stressful time or whatever your circumstances are - book in some time in your day to do a hobby, play music, play a sport, anything that involves some problem solving, teamwork, repitition.
Something you can loose yourself in, because it is so important in life, not to be 'here' for every second of everyday - theres nothing wrong with it, but hey time flyes when your having fun - and if you are worked up then times going to drag!! Book that event, go for that walk, read that paper, hit the beach - all these things that sound sometimes a bit scary to be honest, seriously it has never once been as bad as I felt it in my mind. Whats that great quote by that person "I've lived through some terrbile events in my life ... and some of them actually happened!"
Hope that makes sense somehow, because it is possible to be in that frame of mind like you were in when spots and floaters were exactly the same, but it didn't worry you. Therefore when you think of that time when things were so great, ask yourself ... what great things were happening then, what was I involved in, were there things in my day that I completely got in the zone and lost myself. Secondly, lets scedule some of those things today!!
Anyhow!! I've waffled on again, but to recap in my previous blogs and todays - the following is essesential.
Getting out of your comfort zone, scheduling daily relaxation, zoning out through an activity\event, realising that there are always good and bad days - and on the bad days to really treat yourself and reward yourself for being such a soldier!
Until next time, I'm going to be trying this stuff out too, so any question\comment or ya just wanna have a catch up then please email me at floatbusters@gmail.com
Floaters schmoaters! :P
Paul
Thursday, 2 August 2007
Gotta have that soft place to fall!
Wow, things have been going well on my contract - its currently finished up so I am on the look out again. Getting out of my comfort zone REALLY helps, so much so that i couldn't really believe. I guess its great to have parts of your day when you haven't got tooo much time to think about things. This got me onto another thought I've had, and people that email me have experienced it also. Why do some days spots\floaters bother you and then the next day they dont?? Haha, far out if I knew this - I wish I could figure it out, I guess its just like everyone has good and bad days, some days you wake up with the feeling "This is going be an amazing day woohoo!!" and then some other days everything seems to go wrong and you think "this is not going to be an amazing day!!" haha. Anyhow, today being one of those days for me, I guess a biggie for me is that certainty factor. this is a thought I had that helped me and I hope can help everyone reading this too.
The point is that on these bad days, you NEED to have a place where you can go and put down the sword, take off the armour and just be yourself. Its somewhere if your at work or college - things may be getting a bit rough, and if your like me your feeling frustrated and you start to get in that endless loop. Thats when you hit back with the secret weapon, not sure if you have seen Happy Gilmore, but thats when its time to go to your "happy place" :D.
And it can't just be somewhere in your head, it has to be somewhere - either when you get home, or some other place that it is certain will be tranquil, and you've done it before so just the thought that you will be there, can disarm the current situation no matter how bad it seems.
For me, and I guess it will differ for everyone - Get Cosy!! its amazing how much the way you physically feel effects your mind state, so number one get cosy!!! I'm talking slippers, track pants, hot water bottle, comfy sweater! The works, really go all out. Then I will sit down somewhere, normally on the floor - with a sleeping bag on the floor or something similar. Then put on some good background music, now this sounds crazy but my favorite DVD to put on for the music is "The Princess Bridge" ... Ol' Mark Knopfler at his best!! ... seriously put that on in the background and I find daily life slips away!! ... and then just quiet your mind and breathing for around ten minutes. I've covered the whole relaxation thing in an earlier blog but thats the basic concept. I really have noticed that something amazing happens, just to have that place, and whenever you are out on the battlefield just to think about it when your having a bad day\ rough time with it. I find that when I'm out and about, just the thought that I "am" going to be there later, gives me a great feeling of re-assurance. Give it a whirl!! :D
Also while we are on the princess bride, sometimes when ya out and about - the thought of that home happy place is great but you just need a bit of an edge while you are there ... theres a great bit in that movie when he keeps repeating that phrase "My name is eneego mentoya, you killed my father, prepare to die" ... I really love that scene so sometimes i will say to myself "spots and floaters affect my life ni, they are irrelevant" .. or something along those lines! So make sure you have a quick fire phrase to say to yourself if you need it, that can tie you over until you can recharge in your happy place!!
hahah, ok well I hope that makes sense - just a few thoughts I had which I'm using and I hope can make a difference to someone out there, really appreciate you taking the time out to read this. And always feel free to email me if ya need someone to talk to! Thanks again and get working on your Happy Gilmore "Happy Place!" hehe :D
The point is that on these bad days, you NEED to have a place where you can go and put down the sword, take off the armour and just be yourself. Its somewhere if your at work or college - things may be getting a bit rough, and if your like me your feeling frustrated and you start to get in that endless loop. Thats when you hit back with the secret weapon, not sure if you have seen Happy Gilmore, but thats when its time to go to your "happy place" :D.
And it can't just be somewhere in your head, it has to be somewhere - either when you get home, or some other place that it is certain will be tranquil, and you've done it before so just the thought that you will be there, can disarm the current situation no matter how bad it seems.
For me, and I guess it will differ for everyone - Get Cosy!! its amazing how much the way you physically feel effects your mind state, so number one get cosy!!! I'm talking slippers, track pants, hot water bottle, comfy sweater! The works, really go all out. Then I will sit down somewhere, normally on the floor - with a sleeping bag on the floor or something similar. Then put on some good background music, now this sounds crazy but my favorite DVD to put on for the music is "The Princess Bridge" ... Ol' Mark Knopfler at his best!! ... seriously put that on in the background and I find daily life slips away!! ... and then just quiet your mind and breathing for around ten minutes. I've covered the whole relaxation thing in an earlier blog but thats the basic concept. I really have noticed that something amazing happens, just to have that place, and whenever you are out on the battlefield just to think about it when your having a bad day\ rough time with it. I find that when I'm out and about, just the thought that I "am" going to be there later, gives me a great feeling of re-assurance. Give it a whirl!! :D
Also while we are on the princess bride, sometimes when ya out and about - the thought of that home happy place is great but you just need a bit of an edge while you are there ... theres a great bit in that movie when he keeps repeating that phrase "My name is eneego mentoya, you killed my father, prepare to die" ... I really love that scene so sometimes i will say to myself "spots and floaters affect my life ni, they are irrelevant" .. or something along those lines! So make sure you have a quick fire phrase to say to yourself if you need it, that can tie you over until you can recharge in your happy place!!
hahah, ok well I hope that makes sense - just a few thoughts I had which I'm using and I hope can make a difference to someone out there, really appreciate you taking the time out to read this. And always feel free to email me if ya need someone to talk to! Thanks again and get working on your Happy Gilmore "Happy Place!" hehe :D
Friday, 13 July 2007
A day on autopilot!
Wow! Today was seriously the first day in a long time that I was on the autopilot again, and I'm really trying to put in down in words so that I can do it again, and so you guys\gals can try it! Its really has been a great week, I started a new contract for two weeks, and I'm wondering if that had something to do with it. On Wednesday I had the first day, which since recent times really took me out of my comfort zone, and I think that could be a key. So for the last few days I have been meeting new people, and performing some pretty complex tasks at work.
Today was such a revelation for me, I mean seriously - I got up early, jumped on the bus and headed to work. What has activated the autopilot, I'd be really interested to know if you guys\gals have always had issues with the eye pals, or was it a recent event that really stirred up the hornets nest. Me personally, for years they never bothered me, but I do recall at times of a super high level of stress - they became in-tolerable. Probably for the last 9 months for me I have been under so many changes in my life, so much stress that again they became in-tolerable. Today however is seriously the first day since how long that I felt like I was back on the autopilot. I am really curious, I wonder if putting myself in situations that I am uncomfortable in, somehow reduces that fear.
Its almost like fear cancels out fear maybe, today I was so busy thinking about my tasks at work, my environment and being on the alert - that I has some amazing periods in the day where i was simply observing my eye pals and not being afraid or frustrated by them. It felt a lot like the relaxation I do per day (which I had forgot yesterday) - where thoughts enter but you simply acknowledge them and move on. I am seriously excited by today, and the crazy thing is that today was all blue sky! It was so light everywhere, at work, walking around town - and I didn't even need my sun glasses. What the hell, I mean they were still there - they hadn't reduced in anyway - but it was a bit like the other day after I had my run and the car honked at me - seriously I felt nothing! how cool is that!!! I'm using myself as a bit of a guinea pig, but i would have to say that I think putting myself into a situation with some limited fear\stress - has somehow drained some fear\stress. Almost like I remember when I was working my first job, getting a lift there made the work environment itself seem a lot more intense than say if I took the bus there. Maybe its because on the bus - you leave your comfort zone the second you leave the front door - and that adaption time - leaves you not as affected by the out of comfort zone environment at work.
So, my question is - how many people reading this are actively getting out of their comfort zone - e.g either playing a sport, working a job where you are on your toes. Hmmmm, i think another big thing for me, especially getting this job was that I really regained a strong sense of independence, how this affects my thinking towards my eye pals is beyond me. But for me this is some really exciting stuff, just to think that I don't have to rely on an operation, some stupid opthomoligst, putting of happyness now in the hope of some future op\technique. To think that all of us going through this - could actually have a say in this! Make it so the impact on your own life is completely cut down to size - well words really can't describe how happy this makes me. So its back to the drawing board, Im going to test this out and see if I can figure out exactly what needs to happen to get this autopilot on. Try it yaself and please email me and tell me how ya get on. Sounds there is something we can do :D
Today was such a revelation for me, I mean seriously - I got up early, jumped on the bus and headed to work. What has activated the autopilot, I'd be really interested to know if you guys\gals have always had issues with the eye pals, or was it a recent event that really stirred up the hornets nest. Me personally, for years they never bothered me, but I do recall at times of a super high level of stress - they became in-tolerable. Probably for the last 9 months for me I have been under so many changes in my life, so much stress that again they became in-tolerable. Today however is seriously the first day since how long that I felt like I was back on the autopilot. I am really curious, I wonder if putting myself in situations that I am uncomfortable in, somehow reduces that fear.
Its almost like fear cancels out fear maybe, today I was so busy thinking about my tasks at work, my environment and being on the alert - that I has some amazing periods in the day where i was simply observing my eye pals and not being afraid or frustrated by them. It felt a lot like the relaxation I do per day (which I had forgot yesterday) - where thoughts enter but you simply acknowledge them and move on. I am seriously excited by today, and the crazy thing is that today was all blue sky! It was so light everywhere, at work, walking around town - and I didn't even need my sun glasses. What the hell, I mean they were still there - they hadn't reduced in anyway - but it was a bit like the other day after I had my run and the car honked at me - seriously I felt nothing! how cool is that!!! I'm using myself as a bit of a guinea pig, but i would have to say that I think putting myself into a situation with some limited fear\stress - has somehow drained some fear\stress. Almost like I remember when I was working my first job, getting a lift there made the work environment itself seem a lot more intense than say if I took the bus there. Maybe its because on the bus - you leave your comfort zone the second you leave the front door - and that adaption time - leaves you not as affected by the out of comfort zone environment at work.
So, my question is - how many people reading this are actively getting out of their comfort zone - e.g either playing a sport, working a job where you are on your toes. Hmmmm, i think another big thing for me, especially getting this job was that I really regained a strong sense of independence, how this affects my thinking towards my eye pals is beyond me. But for me this is some really exciting stuff, just to think that I don't have to rely on an operation, some stupid opthomoligst, putting of happyness now in the hope of some future op\technique. To think that all of us going through this - could actually have a say in this! Make it so the impact on your own life is completely cut down to size - well words really can't describe how happy this makes me. So its back to the drawing board, Im going to test this out and see if I can figure out exactly what needs to happen to get this autopilot on. Try it yaself and please email me and tell me how ya get on. Sounds there is something we can do :D
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
Relaxation method for a floaterproof vest
After reading a few emails, I thought i would just post my thoughts on some relaxation techniques you can do.
Also in regards to people feeling a bit anxious about eye floaters - I'd say far out, its completely acceptable and make sure that you are not too hard on yourself. If you think about it, everyone gets anxiety about certain things in life - that is because as human beings we all have this important survival tool. If you are on the alert then you are less likely to get eaten by a tiger! But also on the flipside it can be hard not to be stirred up your pals the floats!
I remember reading that humans have this fight or flight response but we are also capable of a relaxation response which can counteract the feelings\effects of stress. Woohoo! Its interesting because stress means "physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension" and relaxation means "to release or bring relief from the effects of tension, anxiety".
So from a simple stand point, if you are stressed about Eye Floaters, then the logical thing to do is to relax. However from my personal experience it is easier said than done. It really is hard to command yourself to relax under pressure. So I think it is best to have done the relaxation prior to the stressful situation so you can lessen\remove the impact. Think of it like wearing a bulletproof vest ... or ... *drumroll* ... a floaterproof vest :P There is a real positive snowball effect when you put yourself in this relaxed state on a regular basis, we all know this from the negative snowball effect that can occur from daily stress.
Anyhow!! Haha, enough of me waffling on about stuff, heres what I have found works for me! It really is so simple and easy - theres no excuse not to do it everyday!
Paul's Relaxation method - (The ol' Ten)
Set aside ten minutes a day for youself. Go somewhere where you won't be disturbed - I find it feels better when I sit on the floor with my legs crossed, and close my eyes. If you have any relaxing music to drown out any background noise then that is helpful! (Currently I've had the main menu sounds of the Nintendo Wii in the background, haha its good seriously!) Then I concentrate on my breathing, not trying to control my breathing - just freefalling a bit and letting it do its thing. When thoughts come into your head, don't worry - just tell acknowledge them and go back to your breathing. Some people like to focus on a word when they breathe out. Sometimes I will say "your ok" . Let this go on for a while and then I will think about all the things in my life I am greatful for. Followed by being greatful for the the future, then at the end sometimes I think about the end of rocky - you know when he's won the fight and the musics building up towards that freeze frame in the air shot. Then I will normally do a fist in the air! Hahah ok that could sound a bit lame, but it works for me. Try and see what works for you, I think if it makes you feel good then who cares if you look a bit funny!
Thats it! I've also tried to add exercise into my day when I'm feeling wound up - and also some fun! Because some days you won't feel like doing it - but if you have a reward for doing it, then it becomes much easier!
Well hope that makes sense, let me know how ya get on! Email me anytime as well at the above address!!
Thanks again - Paul
Also in regards to people feeling a bit anxious about eye floaters - I'd say far out, its completely acceptable and make sure that you are not too hard on yourself. If you think about it, everyone gets anxiety about certain things in life - that is because as human beings we all have this important survival tool. If you are on the alert then you are less likely to get eaten by a tiger! But also on the flipside it can be hard not to be stirred up your pals the floats!
I remember reading that humans have this fight or flight response but we are also capable of a relaxation response which can counteract the feelings\effects of stress. Woohoo! Its interesting because stress means "physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension" and relaxation means "to release or bring relief from the effects of tension, anxiety".
So from a simple stand point, if you are stressed about Eye Floaters, then the logical thing to do is to relax. However from my personal experience it is easier said than done. It really is hard to command yourself to relax under pressure. So I think it is best to have done the relaxation prior to the stressful situation so you can lessen\remove the impact. Think of it like wearing a bulletproof vest ... or ... *drumroll* ... a floaterproof vest :P There is a real positive snowball effect when you put yourself in this relaxed state on a regular basis, we all know this from the negative snowball effect that can occur from daily stress.
Anyhow!! Haha, enough of me waffling on about stuff, heres what I have found works for me! It really is so simple and easy - theres no excuse not to do it everyday!
Paul's Relaxation method - (The ol' Ten)
Set aside ten minutes a day for youself. Go somewhere where you won't be disturbed - I find it feels better when I sit on the floor with my legs crossed, and close my eyes. If you have any relaxing music to drown out any background noise then that is helpful! (Currently I've had the main menu sounds of the Nintendo Wii in the background, haha its good seriously!) Then I concentrate on my breathing, not trying to control my breathing - just freefalling a bit and letting it do its thing. When thoughts come into your head, don't worry - just tell acknowledge them and go back to your breathing. Some people like to focus on a word when they breathe out. Sometimes I will say "your ok" . Let this go on for a while and then I will think about all the things in my life I am greatful for. Followed by being greatful for the the future, then at the end sometimes I think about the end of rocky - you know when he's won the fight and the musics building up towards that freeze frame in the air shot. Then I will normally do a fist in the air! Hahah ok that could sound a bit lame, but it works for me. Try and see what works for you, I think if it makes you feel good then who cares if you look a bit funny!
Thats it! I've also tried to add exercise into my day when I'm feeling wound up - and also some fun! Because some days you won't feel like doing it - but if you have a reward for doing it, then it becomes much easier!
Well hope that makes sense, let me know how ya get on! Email me anytime as well at the above address!!
Thanks again - Paul
Monday, 2 July 2007
Floatbusters on Youtube!
Hey all!
Just a quick post to say that I've received some great emails and I will be getting back to ya all soon! Man I really appreciate people taking the time out to email me. I've been added to the links page on the popular site
www.eye-floaters.com If you haven't had a chance to check out Darren's site - then I recommend you do, its an excellent site with brilliant content.
The latest update for me an the ol' triad! Well I was a bit slack in the weekend, but I have really noticed a difference setting aside the relaxation time, physical activity and then some scheduled enjoyment! Doing that each day, really can see a positive snowball effect happening. (and it probably would have a lot more impact if I 'did' do it everyday) Haha hey but I'm trying!
Time for some fun - below is the video for Youtube I created with a bit of music and some black coffee! - see what ya think, it was a bit of a 2am special. Anyhow I'm trying to remember to take it one day at a time -Thanks! Paul
Just a quick post to say that I've received some great emails and I will be getting back to ya all soon! Man I really appreciate people taking the time out to email me. I've been added to the links page on the popular site
www.eye-floaters.com If you haven't had a chance to check out Darren's site - then I recommend you do, its an excellent site with brilliant content.
The latest update for me an the ol' triad! Well I was a bit slack in the weekend, but I have really noticed a difference setting aside the relaxation time, physical activity and then some scheduled enjoyment! Doing that each day, really can see a positive snowball effect happening. (and it probably would have a lot more impact if I 'did' do it everyday) Haha hey but I'm trying!
Time for some fun - below is the video for Youtube I created with a bit of music and some black coffee! - see what ya think, it was a bit of a 2am special. Anyhow I'm trying to remember to take it one day at a time -Thanks! Paul
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