I am practising some visualisation.  Its a technique we use often in NLP  and it allows us to fully use all of our senses so we can navigate tricky situations.  You can use it for lots of different scenarios  but its jolly useful for me to use these techniques to think about the next few days.

I’m facing a 10 hour complex surgery.  Lots of mess, skin grafts, blood and gore. Followed by a period of forced sedation.  Thankfully,  I won’t be there.  I’ve boarded  a plane bound for Australia.

I’m sitting on the plane in my first class seat – is there any other way to travel?  There seem to be no other passengers in this part of the plane and it looks like I am more in a large open space with no other chairs like mine around.  How lucky is this?!  A whole cabin to myself!  And lots of staff to run around and look after me.  Excellent news.  My  firm but comfy seat allows me to stretch my legs right out so the backs of my thighs and lower back are fully supported.  I have my glass of champagne in my right hand, the stem is slim and narrow and can easily be held by my thumb, index and middle fingers.  It’s heavy as it’s full, the bubbles are racing to the top of the glass and the pale golden colour reminds me of the rise of Scottish sunshine in the early morning light.  When I raise it to my lips, the first sensation is cool and sweet.  The smell is of hay bales in the summer sun.  I swirl the liquid around my mouth and taste sharp citrus lemon mixed with a dry, sweet burst of apple. Hmm.  I think I may need to ask for another glass – this is going down the back of my throat very easily!

I feel the alcohol racing around my body.  It makes my feet tingle.  I’d like to dance but the music is too low for me to properly hear it.  There is so much space in this cabin and I feel free and uninhibited  – dancing brings so much joy.  I really want to hear the beat properly.  I’m straining to listen but the captain has turned on the fasten seatbelt signs and the engines are starting to roar.  I check my seatbelt.  It is tight across my lap.  I put my glass down and the stewardess soundlessly appears and removes it. I smile at her and she smiles a dazzling pearly-white smile in return. She puts a reassuring hand on my arm, her touch is gentle and caring on my bare skin.  The hairs on my arm stand up. I’m looking at my arm but not quite seeing it clearly.  It looks very blurry. How much champagne have I consumed?  Her words sound muffled, like she is speaking at a great distance.  The plane starts to shudder and roar as it speeds down the runway.  My ears want to pop and I start to yawn to relieve the pressure.  Count backwards from 10 she says.  I start but the numbers don’t seem to want to come out, I get to 7 but sleep washes over me.  The plane is in the sky.  I don’t feel, hear. see, smell or touch anything.  I am weightless. Absent. Free.

Laura…Laura….LAURA!!!  Who is this persistent shrew trying to wake me up from my lovely sleep?  I am angry, annoyed, beyond irritated.  What’s her problem? LET ME SLEEP! I want to yell but it’s not coming out. I open one eye with a big scowl on my face.  Damn, I’ve obviously been on the razz. My whole body is achy and I can’t move.  Oh, and I’m not wearing my clothes…no knickers either.  Must have been a great night. Shame I can’t remember anything.

Ugh!  I feel like shit.   I can tell by looking at her that I’m not looking too hot either. I can’t have mascara down my face as my eyelash tint is still new.  Do I want to see if I can look in the mirror?  Hmm, still feeling too tired and don’t want to raise my head.  Actually I can’t raise my head, I’m connected to lots of wires.  I’m in the Matrix. I am Neo or his hot girlfriend. Actually, I want to be Neo.  The chosen one. The one who kicks ass, dodges bullets and bends metal to his will. I am NEO! Yeehah!!

It’s Monday she tells me.  I want to ask if we have safely landed in Australia.  But sleep beckons. Later…