Friend of Julie: This is a Test

An act of terrorism happened in our backyard on Monday when bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. My friends and family are all safe and I hope yours are too. I talked with my key hypnosis friends and many said they ate more than usual on Monday night, but they stayed on program. One friend said her response was to turn to what she learned over the years would comfort her: food. But her story has a happy ending.

My friend's new mantra

Overwhelmed with emotion about the Boston tragedy, unable to find the face-to-face support she needed, one of my key hypnosis friends turned to her old friend---food. Tuesday morning she told me "It was a very quick minimal visit, and it ended with a tall glass of milk--a new friend. So it's behind me, but the sadness of yesterday is not. I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I believe asking for support will help me through this."

She was encouraged by words from another key friend "this is only a test." My friend embraced these words and created a new mantra for herself, which she carries with her on her iPhone:

This is a test
Off the Wheel
Reveal to heal
Plan
Hugs
Breathe

There we have it - a happy ending for my friend!

My reaction Monday night: I ate two dinners Monday night; all foods on program. I don't have non-program foods in the house; one benefit of living alone. I got caught up in the news until late in the night and again all morning. I couldn't turn it off even there was so little new information. The news was so sensationalized and hypnotic that I couldn't pull myself away. Being in a this kind of hypnotic state like this is akin to getting drunk: both leave you vulnerable to eating out of control.

If you went off program in reaction to Monday's tragedy, it's time to get back in the river right now. No amount of food dissolves pain or changes acts of terrorism. But there is something each of us can do: be successful in our lives, live happy lives, and take care of ourselves and our families - this is our best agent against terrorism.

Each day you stay in the river (on program), you teach yourself new ways to react to what life throws at you. Your automatic response will change over time, because you are training your mind to react in new ways. You will be tested along the way; it is part of the journey.

You should know that after the marathon bombing, good people did random acts of compassion. Things you should read about. Things to help soften the pain, to help us heal from that which we are at a loss of words to express. Here are a few stories you should know about:

• A Nice Thing That One Couple Did After The Marathon Bombing
• These Heroes Showed Compassion In The Aftermath Of The Boston Explosions