The "Twizzler Effect"

​Halloween candy reminds me of a theory that I have been pondering over the last few months. I call it the "Twizzler effect:"

It goes back to the Twizzler licorice that I ate as a kid -- those strands of licorice twisted around each other. In my mind, they represent two aspects of any situation.  One strand represents the aspects of life that you cannot change. If it's raining outside, you can't stop the rain.
 
But, there is also another factor – your relationship to the first aspect. This is the second strand.
 
You can’t stop the rain, but you can open an umbrella and stay dry. You can appreciate that the rain helps to grow the fruits and vegetables that you eat. You can jump in puddles or curl up with a good book. You can look for rainbows.
 
The Twizzler effect applies to your health. You are aging. At some point in your life, you are bound to feel the effects of illness and disease. (I say this so you don’t feel bad or blame yourself when this happens.)  But, this is only the first strand. It’s not the whole picture. There is hope.
 
Hope exists in the second strand, the things that you do to care for yourself. This includes the foods you fill your body with, the thoughts you fill your mind with, the people you surround yourself with and the healers you go to. It’s this second strand that you have control over.

By focusing your energy on the things you can change, you can create a space of health and well-being. You can find deep acceptance of who you are AND make conscious shifts to become the person you want to be.

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