The Mind Loops Blog – Feb 2022
Years ago, when I was a budding film director attending New York University, I was invited to interview for a job at (of all places)… MARVEL COMICS.
Yep, the very place that birthed Spiderman and the Fantastic Four.
Pretty cool, huh?
At least I thought so.
In those days, I was a punk rocker. I had black eyeliner FOR DAYS. And scrunchy blonde crazy hair. I may have looked a little… eccentric… but I was smart. Cum laude smart.*
*(that last point is not to brag, it plays a part in this story).
At the start of my subway ride to my job interview, I felt excitement at the prospect of landing this job.
But the closer I got to midtown, the more anxious I began to feel.
In fact, I was WORRIED.
Not worried about doing the job correctly if I were to get it. I knew I could do that.
I was worried about the job interview process itself:
The fear of not being seen for who I actually am, underneath my punk-ish appearance.
The fear of wanting the job and not getting it.
And most of all:
The fear of SAYING SOMETHING WRONG.
“Saying something wrong” was a deep, unreasonable worry I had that stemmed from ancient (ie childhood) history. We all have our versions of this.
A child hears, sees, or experiences something that disturbs them, or that they negatively internalize. The experience gets lodged in their psyche. It might not be a big deal from the point-of-view of an adult. But to a child, it can be HUGE – enough to create a distorted internal pattern in the way they think.
By the time we become adults, the resulting behavior can show up in strange and deleterious ways.
Like worry loops. About “saying something wrong.”
Such was the case for me. Whenever I entered a new situation, I would become tongue-tied. Mind frozen. The “deer-in-the-headlights” syndrome.
And yet – I was performing in bands in nightclubs! I was a smartie in school!*
*(that’s where the cum laude part comes in).
There was no logical reason for me to become crazy worried about this job interview. But I was.
Can you relate?
(maybe not relate to that specific worry, but I’m guessing you have your own loopy worries.)
My subway let me out in Times Square. I’m standing in front of a MASSIVE, corporate building.
My stomach tightens up.
Are my clothes are too black? Is my hair “normal” enough?
Breathe, damnit, BREATHE!
I enter the monster building.
Giant cutouts of Spiderman (and other heroes-in-tights) hung from the walls and swooped down from the ceiling like pterodactyls. I inadvertently jerked my head left and right to avoid them.
Tweaked and twitching on the ride up the elevator, I wiped the sweat from my brow… to be immediately greeted by The Interview Man as the doors opened.
“Barbara Ireland? Hello.”
We shake hands as he looks me up and down with what may be a half grin.
“Ohh… Nice coat.”
(okay, it was long, black, and velvet. I thought it looked nice. looking back, I may have resembled a fancy witch.)
Strike One. Worry amped up.
The man takes me on a tour of the floor. He explains the marketing work I’d be doing. I follow with my steps.
But my mind? It was on a tour of its own.
The inner dialogue WOULD NOT STOP!
Omg, this place is HUGE. I’d be so lost!
That was a weird comment about my coat…
What did he just say?
What if he asks me if I like Spiderman? I don’t even like comics! (What am I DOING here?!)
Did he like my coat, or hate my coat?
There are so many people! And they all know what they’re doing! And they’re so… corporate.
Am I visibly sweating?
…and what was with that coat comment?!
Worrying. Looping. Self-criticizing. Judging. Questioning.
Oh yes, and did I say, WORRYING?
Finally the tour ends.
“So. Do you have any questions?”
“Umm… hmm… Let me think… Nope!”
He stared at me. “No questions at all?”
“No.”
(brain FREEEEZE in play).
“Well… okay then. Let me show you out.”
Did I get the job?
Oh, wouldn’t it be COOL if I could tell you I had?
But egad, NO WAY did I get the job.
Because I fell prey to the damaging, self-esteem-destroying, confidence-crushing, distraction-making, energy-draining mental pattern of:
WORRY.
In 2010 I had a near-death experience. I was taught how repetitive, negative thoughts (“mind loops”) cause profound destruction in our lives.
Worry is one of the most destructive mind loops of all.
It disrupts our sleep, creates havoc in our relationships, lowers our productivity, focus, and income-making ability, steals our energy, causes depression and anxiety…
And in regard to to our health, Gandhi said it best:
“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry.”
We ALL worry. And these days, worry is rampant.
(The world is in one sorry-ass state, that’s why).
After my near-death experience, I studied the human mind; where depression and anxiety come from; our biological “addictions” to negative emotions…
As a result, I developed The De-Looping Method to interrupt repetitive, negative thoughts.
And my life changed dramatically. For the ultra-better.
These days, sure I worry some. But I don’t get stuck in its net. I don’t “go down with the worry ship.”
I have a life preserver. It’s called new neural pathways.
That’s right. De-looping techniques change the way you think.
I can now let worries GO.
If you’re stressed and exhausted from worrying, and ready to experience peace of mind… Join me for my upcoming FREE Master Class:
3 Techniques To Regain Calm, Confidence, and Charisma
Wednesday, Feb 23rd • 6pm PT / 9pm ET
Regain confidence and energy, sleep restfully, wake up happier, and with, ahhhh… peace of mind.
I may not have gotten the job at Marvel Comics. But it’s just as well.
Because when I stopped worrying, I felt like SUPERWOMAN.
And she’s from DC Comics.
Sayonara, Marvel!
Join me Feb 23rd for the FREE Master Class, “Unhook From Worry” – so you can feel like a superhero too.
Barbara Ireland
Author of the #1 Amazon Kindle Bestseller, How To Stop Negative Thoughts
Contributing author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller, The Transformative Power of Near-Death Experiences
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