I remember the day my Long Lost Cousin came to me with a ghastly problem. Since I found him after many, many years, I felt very protective toward him. I try to help him over his problems.
“I just don’t feel like doing anything. I just want to lie in bed,” said my cousin, anxiously.
“How did this attitude come about?” I said, trying to get some background to the problem.
“Well, since I lost my job a month ago, I get very depressed at times. I feel like I have failed at a job that I liked and now I don’t feel like pursuing any activities!”
“A classic case of Motivational Paralysis!” I said, very authoritarian.
“On top of it all, my wife has been on my case constantly, with her innuendos!”
“What kind of innuendos?”
“Well, the other day she said, I should get a job in a sleep clinic. It would be my dream job.”
“That’s because you’re lying in bed too much!” I deduced.
“Then she said, I should get a job in a bakery, so I could loaf around all day!”
“Your wife should get a job as a comedienne,” I said, laughing.
My Long Lost Cousin looked very sad.
“Please cousin, help me! How do I get out of this depressed mood?”
“You need to work on two things. Your thinking and your doing!”
“Sounds complicated to me.”
“First, upgrade your thoughts. When you lost your job, you saw the world negatively. You became depressed and your thoughts became distorted and wrong. And finally, your mood hit rock bottom and you didn’t want to do anything.”
“So what now?”
“Turn your thoughts positive. Say, I will find another job!”
My cousin looked incredulous.
“Then elevate you mood by acting positively and doing constructive things. You are a thinker and a doer!”
I hoped I was getting through to him.
“You’ve lost your will power and any activity seems difficult and pointless. You are completely overwhelmed by the desire to do NOTHING!”
“But I like lying in bed, it’s easy to do and I can go to sleep and get out of my depressing world!”
“Now, that’s what I mean by WRONG THINKING!”
“Maybe you’re right cousin. Come to think of it, it’s boring and very painful thought-wise, moping around and criticizing myself.”
“Now, you’re getting the idea. Lets hear some more positive statements.”
“Okay, how’s this, I can’t sleep all the time. I have to get up and move my arms and legs, otherwise they will seize up!”
“Right on, cousin.”
“My problems won’t go away by lying in bed. I have to face them with positive ACTION!”
“Hurray, you’re on the way to recovery! Fight those wrong thoughts. Get rid of those bad emotions. Escape into ACTION!” Now, I was getting carried away!
As my cousin got up to leave, he said:
“I’m going to apply for some jobs tomorrow. One of them is in a bakery making loaves of bread. I won’t be loafing around either, I’ll be working hard. I will be using my loaf!”
“Good luck, cousin,” I said, laughing, as he walked out the door.
Nice story cousin, but I prefer mysteries more. I know You can write them, so get to work! L.L.C Jim
In this latest blog, Dave tries to help his favorite cousin who just lost a job. The cousin enjoyed the job and now all he wants to do is stay in bed. He is fearful of failing and hiding in bed is a sign of depression. His wife instead of supporting her husband uses humorous ridicule to motivate him.
Dave’s cousinly advice is to change his thought of action and for him to get out of bed and look for another job.
Memo to cousin: Listen to Dave or your in for expensive treatments with a therapist.
I like your story, Dave. I like it very much. Too often we tend to forget that a thought is a tangible thing…..the power of thought is great and the importance of keeping those thoughts positive cannot be measured. Well written, interesting and well done. You have succeeded in getting a positive message across to your readers.
Great reminder of how important our thoughts are! They can shape the entire direction of out lives.
Now that sounds like one of Abbott and Costellos routines. Bud says he has a job at a bakery. Lou says “what do you do there?” “I’m a loafer” says Bud. “And you get paid for loafing?” “of course, I’m the best loafer there.” Lou says “I loaf at home and don’t get anything.” And it goes on from there.
I’m a reader of Echardt Tolle, Dave, and your advice is right on target.
You should put a copy in every job centre for people to read when there waiting to sign on, may open a few lazy so and so’s eyes.