Become What You Perceive

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Are you familiar with the phrase, “perception becomes reality”?

“You attract what you perceive,” is this website’s cornerstone. If you see yourself as being sick, you will attract more illnesses. If you feel strong, you will gain more strength. And, if you visualize yourself as being well, you will become healthier. I know this is true. Over the past 30 years, I’ve snatched positive healing outcomes from the jaws of devastating chronic diagnoses.

This site’s content challenges the commonly held belief that we are either well or ill.  We can be both at the same time.  The distinction between sickness and health is not binary.  I walk more than two miles every day, AND I spend 4 hours twice a week connected to a kidney dialysis machine. I choose to see myself as healthy and strong.  And up until 6 weeks ago, I was on dialysis three times a week.

This site introduces you to a variety of tools and practices that I and others have found helpful in changing our mental and physical approach to  chronic illness diagnoses. Each of us is unique; however, when our thoughts and actions focus on what we can accomplish rather than what we cannot, a self-image of chronic health begins to offset our chronic illness.

To illustrate the power of this process, about 30 years ago, I had a massive heart attack that required quintuple bypass surgery. In the hospital mandated cardiac rehabilitation classes that followed, I learned there were two groups of patients: those who felt they’d received a death sentence and those who thought they’d received a new lease on life. I was part of the second group and visualized my stamina, energy, and strength, improving by setting daily weekly and monthly targets.

While I could initially only take a few steps without resting, I visualized walking to the mailbox at the end of our short driveway and how it would feel to touch it. Once I passed the mailbox milestone, I envisioned walking to the stop sign at the end of our block and how it would feel to give it a high-five. After two months of slow, incremental, and continuous progress supported by visualization and sensory anticipation, I was walking 3 miles every day. I also kept a journal detailing how I felt each day, how much effort was required, what I was grateful for and what lessons I learned that day.

Throughout this site, you’ll find additional stories of the powerful connection between our thinking and our health.

I’d like to hear your story. Please consider writing an article for this site or sending me the details of your management of chronic illness, and I’ll draft an item for your edits and approval. Your journey can be  therapeutic and motivating to others.

Please note, the articles, testimonials, and opinions presented throughout this website are complementary and supplementary and not meant to replace professional medical advice.