There are things I do which I don’t advocate others trying. What I’m writing about here is one of them.

Everyone follows their own path, and reaches milestones that are significant to them. The reason I share my stories in the manner I do is so that people know reaching your goals is possible – YOUR goals, not necessarily the same ones I write about.

I have a ferocious headache. And I am working, literally, my way through it. I’m functional because to be otherwise is unacceptable to me – so I am willing my way past the pain. I’m also doing it to continue a lesson I taught my children while we were away on vacation last week.

Everyone who has read DRAWING OUT THE DRAGONS and THE BARBIZON DIARIES knows that I have had significant physical challenges throughout my life – and overcome them. Some remain, and persist – and I decided, in the midst of some life-changing events, and releases of stress, and additions of stress, and, in short, at the worst possible time physically, emotionally, and spiritually, that I was simply done dealing with them.

We had just finished an extraordinarily awesome dinner at a world-class restaurant (The Napa Rose) to celebrate the project we are almost ready to announce, and I took my family outside to a bench. I asked them to close their eyes, and take a deep breath, and they did.

I then explained that while breathing is largely automatic for our bodies, we still have the ability to take control of it ourselves. We simply have to choose to do so.

Similarly, I explained that a lot of the circumstances of our lives seem to be out of our hands – but are also things we can control, if we simply realize that and do something about it.

To prove that what I was saying was more than words, I handed each of them a piece of a walnut – which they were all surprised I would have, since out of all of my food allergies, walnuts are among the worst. One piece in a slice of pie, and my throat closes up within moments. More than half a walnut, and 911 has to be called, and adrenaline injected within minutes.

The walnut I gave them came off of the second course of my dinner – which had been covered in them. And on being served, my first response was fear; and I realized that response would ripple outwards to everyone at the table.

So I simply, deliberately, completely, decided differently. And I ate all of it.

And absolutely NOTHING happened.

And my family understood the lesson I was teaching – and more, they believed it.

Everyone’s mileage will vary, as everyone’s paths are different. But I do believe that sometimes, we can change our reality on a fundamental level by an exercise of will and belief. Just writing this note has already eased my headache considerably – and I don’t doubt that as with the walnuts, I may reach a point where I have simply had enough, and I change myself into someone without headaches. Maybe sooner than I think – I have a lot of work to do.  And it’s all going to get done before I’m through.