Day 194: Force - The Good, The Bad, The Downright Ugly

Again, I am looking at the Word Force and this time adding an expanded dictionary definition as well as an etymological definition.

1. strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
   "he was thrown backward by the force of the explosion"
   

   synonyms:

   strength, power, energy, might, effort, exertion;

   antonyms:

   weakness

   • PHYSICS
     an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. The magnitude of such an influence is often calculated by multiplying the mass of the body by its acceleration.
     
   • a person or thing regarded as exerting power or influence.
     plural noun: forces
     "he might still be a force for peace and unity"
     

     synonyms:

     agency, power, influence, instrument, vehicle, means "a force for good"

   • used with a number as a measure of wind strength on the Beaufort scale.
     "a force-nine gale"
     
2. coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence.
   "they ruled by law and not by force"
   

   synonyms:

   coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, oppression, harassment,intimidation, threats;

3. mental or moral strength or power.
   "the force of popular opinion"
   
   • the state of being in effect or valid.
     "the law came into force in January"
     

     synonyms:

     effective, in operation, operative, operational, in action, valid "the law is now in force"

   • the powerful effect of something.
     "the force of her writing is undiminished"
     

     synonyms:

     cogency, potency, weight, effectiveness, soundness, validity,strength, power, significance, influence, authority;

     antonyms:

     weakness

4. an organized body of military personnel or police.
   "a soldier in a UN peacekeeping force"
   

   synonyms:

   body, body of people, group, outfit, party, team;

   • troops and weaponry.
     plural noun: forces
     "concealment from enemy forces"
     
   • a group of people brought together and organized for a particular activity.
     "a sales force"
     
   • informal
     a police department.
     noun: the force
     
5. BASEBALL
   a force-out.
   
   • a situation in which a force-out is possible.
     

verb
verb: force; 3rd person present: forces; past tense: forced; past participle: forced; gerund or present participle: forcing

1. make a way through or into by physical strength; break open by force.
   "they broke into Fred's house and forced every cupboard door with ax or crowbar"
   

   synonyms:

   break open, burst open, knock down, smash down, kick in "the door had to be forced"

   • drive or push into a specified position or state using physical strength or against resistance.
     "she forced her feet into flat leather sandals"
     

     synonyms:

     propel, push, thrust, shove, drive, press, pump "water was forced through a hole"

   • achieve or bring about (something) by coercion or effort.
     "Sabine forced a smile"
     
   • push or strain (something) to the utmost.
     "she knew if she forced it she would rip it"
     
   • artificially hasten the development or maturity of (a plant).
     

     synonyms:

     extract, elicit, exact, extort, wrest, wring, drag, screw, squeeze "they forced a confession out of the kids"

2. make (someone) do something against their will.
   "she was forced into early retirement"
   

   synonyms:

   compel, coerce, make, constrain, oblige, impel, drive, pressurize,pressure, press, push, press-gang, bully, dragoon, bludgeon;

   • rape (a woman).
     
   • BASEBALL
     put out (a runner), or cause (a runner) to be put out, at the base to which they are advancing when they are forced to run on a batted ball.
     "I was forced at second base as the first half of a double play"
     
   • (in cards) make a play or bid that compels another player to make (a particular response); make a play or bid that compels (another player) to make such a response.
     "East could force declarer to ruff another spade"
     

Origin
Middle English: from Old French force (noun), forcer (verb), based on Latin fortis ‘strong.’

Etymological Dictionary Definition 

force (n.) 

c.1300, "physical strength," from Old French force (12c.) "force, strength, courage, fortitude; violence, power, compulsion," from Vulgar Latin *fortia (source also of Spanish fuerza, Italian forza), noun use of neuter plural of Latin fortis "strong" (see fort). Meaning "body of armed men, army" first recorded late 14c. (also in Old French). Physics sense is from 1660s; force field attested by 1920.

force (v.) 

c.1300, from Old French forcier "conquer by violence," from force (see force (n.)). Its earliest sense in English was "to ravish" (a woman); sense of "to compel, oblige" to do something is from c.1400. Related: Forced; forcing. 

As I wrote out in a previous blog, I have been living the Word Force as though there has been a stronger power than me, outside of me, making me do things regardless of whether I want to do them or not.  With the process of writing and self-forgiveness in regards to Force, I have realized that there is no force outside of myself that is making me do anything.  I mean, even if someone was holding a gun to my head in an attempt to force me, in the end, it would still be my decision of whether I would do something or not.  And from a physics stand-point, someone or something can physically move me depending on the mass and strength of the force.

In reality though, there is no one individual or outside force that is physically motivating me to do anything and it's clear that the Word Force is a word that I have been living out in my mind and not in real physical time. 

I am also adding that I have been seeing the Word Force as mostly as a negative word and when it comes up, I experience fear and then go right into resistance and avoidance. When looking at the definitions it is clear why because I have attached the word Force to things that I fear like: Rape, Violence, Physical Pain, Negative Military and Police Activities, Breaking, Coercion, and overall manifesting something into existence that is not best where there is no choice in matter. Another point that I would like to investigate is how, when I have said or thought about the Word Force, that I have had this strong physical presence that quickly rises within me like an in-breath where I have a body experience of becoming focused, solid, and determined in a way that pushes outward in to my external environment.  And finally, I see that there aspects of the Word Force that I like or that give me a positive experience - specifically in-relation to Force as Strength where when I see Force in the light of Strength, I experience a happiness, a hopefulness, a sort of relief or a sense of momentary freedom from all the the negativity that I have attached to the Word Force.

So in the next post I will be going into writing self-forgiveness for what's coming up for thoughts, imaginations, beliefs, reactions, fears, and behaviors in relation to the Word Force. Followed by writing out my plan for self-correction and self-commitment within no longer allowing myself to be influenced or moved by this word as something outside of me or separate from me. Then, I will share my living definition of the word which is how I will be living out the word via my physical movement and self-directed action, equal and one with the word.   

Day 118: How Do I Change The Way I Direct Stressful Events?

 Traumatic Events and Stresses

In the is blog series, I will be writing about Traumatic Events and Stress, how I reacted to these events, what my energy experience was, how I made myself feel in my Mind, how I changed as a result, and how I can change now to no longer accept and allow the past to determine who I am.

Additional Content:
Day 115: How Am I Currently Living With and Directing Stress? 
Day 116: How Do I React To Stressful Events?
Day 117: How Has Stress Changed Me?

 

When and as I see that I am reacting in panic or dread as a response to an event, experience, or problem that I did not anticipate and/or am required to change directions to address, I breath and stabilize myself until I am clear.  I see, realize, and understand that I am reacting to my fear of failing and/or making the wrong decision. I also understand that there are times when I may not be be able to direct an event, experience, and/or problem in a moment - in such cases, instead of reacting, I redirect myself to investigate the event, experience, and/problem, look at how others have approached similar, and get feedback from others as to the best way to proceed.




When and as I see that I am valuing my own experiences, memories, and/or perspectives above an others and within this, immediately dismissing feedback and suggestions that I did not consider, I stop.  I see, realize, and understand that to get this point of devaluing another that I have already put them through the process of my reactions, backchat, and judgements that is aligned to my Mind pattern.  Thus, instead of dismissing others feedback and suggestions, I breath, hear, discuss and try out the practical, common-sense solutions that emerge from this type of communication.


When and as I see that I am in-conflict with myself as indicated by me clenching my teeth and moving between two polarity points within my mind, I stop, breath, and slow myself until I am back here and aware of my physical body - when I am stable, I investigate my polarity points and conflict with writing and self-forgiveness.

When and as I see that I have caught myself in a 'picking a personality' polarity trap as indicated by myself moving between opposing personalities as a means to pick a personality that best suits me/from a point of self-interest/gets me the outcome that I want, I stop my participating in my polarity mind trap, breath until I am back to here and remind myself that I must choose/decide/direct myself, my mind, and my physical actions within and as the 1+1 equation of what will be the best outcome for all.

When and as I see that I am physically moving myself quickly from one task to another and not allowing myself to relax and enjoy moments in life, I STOP. I slow myself down and take a moment to 'sit it out'.  I see, realize, and understand that I am fleeing from a fear and a reaction that I had to that fear that made me physically uncomfortable and that I did not want to face. Additionally, I see that I am attempting to ignore the physical discomforts of my accumulated stress that I have not given myself time to sort out. So, instead of using the excuses of 'toughing it out', 'there's too much to do', and/or 'there's not enough time', I redirect myself to assist and support myself with breathing, investigating myself in times of mental stress and physical strain, writing myself out, and using the tool of self-forgiveness to sort out and understand myself.



When and as I see that I am giving up and surrendering myself to the thought/belief/idea that I there is nothing I can do to change my situation, I STOP.  I see, realize, and understand that change is made with the decisions I make in every moment that I am presented and opportunity to make a decision to change.  Within this, I see that 'surrendering' and 'giving up' is myself saying, "I don't want to change."


When and as I see that I am disregarding, 'brushing-off', and/or attempting to ignore the feedback/reflections/mirroring-back that I'm getting from my world as indicated by myself saying, "No one knows me, my life, and my body but me," - I stop because within this separation I see, realize, and understand that this is me as my Ego defending my self-definitions. Instead of separating myself from that which I have defined as 'Not Me', I observe my surroundings and the others in my surroundings and working bringing all the points that I'm seeing back to myself - and at this stage of my process, I give specific attention to those points that are triggering my, 'NOT ME!' response.