The reason is habit. I have become accustomed to worrying. I am habituated to feeling anxious. Habits play a powerful role in our lives. They can have positive effects too—being orderly, thorough, clean, regular, or meticulous are not bad traits. But when these habits are disrupted, the mind needs to be flexible enough to let go and continue without stress.

At some point, I realized that these good habits had unintentionally triggered anxiety. I began reminding myself to consciously relax and keep moving forward. Although old habits occasionally resurface, at least I am aware of them now.

Even when those birthday anxieties pop up, I remind myself: it’s a happy day. Whoever’s birthday it might be, let’s bless them and celebrate!

I have often discussed with my elder brother whether we inherited these anxiety issues from our mother. If we did, then why didn’t we also inherit our father’s relaxed, happy-go-lucky nature? And even if we got these tendencies from our mother, where did she acquire them? Rather than assigning blame, it’s better to do what we can to overcome these challenges. That is a positive attitude.

It’s amusing how the mind works—it creates good habits, causes anxieties, and offers solutions, all at once.

Let me close with a funny incident. During a recent visit to Thirukkadaiyur, we stopped at a restaurant for snacks. I ordered coffee. Out of habit, I placed the tumbler back on the table after each sip. But without realizing it, I had moved my chair back a little. When I reached out to set the tumbler on the table, it tipped over, sending the coffee to the slippery floor. My wife called a hotel cleaner to clean the mess and tipped him as well. Most of my coffee ended up spilled and undrunk.

Contd. 305. Energy Method POWER - Part 1