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The Power of The Serenity Prayer

The Power of The Serenity Prayer
The Power of The Serenity Prayer

In this week’s Success Newsletter, I would like to reveal the ways that the Serenity Prayer is the antidote to anxiety.

First a quick update:

The Breakup Test
Are you heartbroken, angry, lost, lonely, confused, depressed, hung up, or pining over your ex? Do you know how your ex is truly affecting you and do you want to benefit from personalize advice, action steps and revelations? Take my free breakup test and get your own personalized report. 

“I witnessed my mom being raped” – finally healed with SRTT
Cherrie was 5 when she witnessed her mom being attacked and raped. She was forced to watch and she was a heroine as she told her sisters to turn away to not see it. Cherrie also tried to escape the room twice to get help but the rapist caught her and assaulted her twice. 

The Las Vegas Shooting – Compassion will unite us
Authorities are still seeking a motive for the shooting that killed 58 people and injured over 500 people in Las Vegas on October 1st. At a time when anxiety is so rife, I believe the answer to healing is compassion.

Now, let’s talk about the ways that the Serenity Prayer is the antidote to anxiety.

When I first wrote this article almost two weeks ago, I wrote it with respect to the many natural disasters of August and September – hurricanes, flooding, fires and an earthquake.

Now, following the Las Vegas Shooting of October 1, 2017 – the deadliest mass shooting in US history, and, Hurricane Nate, I feel the message of this article is even more relevant…

I cannot think of anyone whom I have come across in the past month who has not been affected one way or another by the extraordinary spate of natural disasters – hurricanes, earthquakes and fires.

Just today, a friend in Puerto Rico was able to call and tell me that he has been without power for 8 days, and is now left with just some canned food, his dog and water.

Like so many of us, he was experiencing anxiety, fear, loss, confusion, and uncertainty.

I told him that there is only one antidote to all of these emotions, and that is the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Regardless of your religious beliefs or even whether or not you believe in God, the principles in this prayer are powerful and healing.

I sincerely empathize with people’s pain, particularly when there is nothing that anyone can do to undo what has happened.

I, too, am an evacuee of Hurricane Irma. And for the people in Houston or Florida or Puerto Rico or Mexico or near the Wildland fires, yes, there is a deep sense of loss & suffering. Many people lost possessions and homes for which they had spent years or even decades building or developing; some lost it all.

However, it is not what happens to us that determines how we will feel or who we will become. It is the way that we choose to respond to the things that happen to us that will determine our future and happiness. And so again I come back to the Serenity Prayer. Anxiety and suffering are caused by our attempt (sometimes obsessive) to control things which we can’t control. When we choose to accept those things, the anxiety dissipates. And when we choose to take action over the things we can control we feel more empowered.

Remember, too, you are not the material possessions, and they don’t determine who you are or your value. You are so much more: you are the sum of your talents, abilities, gifts, passion, personality, morality, values, and character.

Beware of letting those things that you’ve lost actually control you now.

Get clear about what is truly important in your life.

All the things that you lost can be rebuilt. In understand that you may have lost sentimental possessions. It is okay to grieve and to feel sad, angry, helpless or hopeless because of the time, energy, and resources that you gave to build or accumulate those things. Don’t let those painful emotions control you. Think about who you want to be when you rise up from those emotions.

Remember again the Serenity Prayer: control only what you can control: be courageous and control your thoughts which, in turn, determine your emotions and feelings.

Remind yourself that the most precious thing in life is the people that you love.

And what else can you control?

You can control the amount of time attention and energy that you give to being overexposed to all the painful and horrible images of destruction and devastation which helps no one. Instead, take courage and focus on rebuilding your life – allow others to help you, and help others wherever you can, because we are all in this together!

If you need personal help and guidance to overcome anxiety, loss or trauma – book a one-on-one session with me.

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I wish you the best and remind you “Believe in yourself -You deserve the best!”

Patrick Wanis Ph.D.
Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert & SRTT Therapist
www.patrickwanis.com

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