Move from Negative to Positive



Manifesting your dreams is my topic again today. We already discussed Step One: releasing your worries and fears. (Check out the blog I wrote yesterday for more on this subject.) But letting go of fear is only the beginning.

Today we will take a look at Step Two: moving from negative to positive.

For some of us, it might be easier to focus on the things we don't want rather than the things we do want. That is, we spend a lot of our energy pushing things away. Notice if your self-talk is filled with thoughts like: I can't stand this traffic. I hate this horrible weather. My house is a dump. People are so rude. The world is going to hell in a hand-basket.

Although you might believe most of the above statements are factually accurate, they are just negative thoughts. You could easily insert an opposing thought in place of any of these negative ones. For example: as you sit in traffic, you could say to yourself, "Here is an awesome opportunity for me to practice meditation." Or on a cold, gray, rainy day: "I think I'll warm up the kitchen by making a big pot of delicious soup." (I actually did this today!)

Yesterday I suggested an exercise for releasing fear and worry. Once you have mastered that practice, you might choose to move onto a new exercise: transforming negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Again, the key is to catch yourself in the act of negative thinking, like when you are bashing something. It could be anything from your weight or your hair to your spouse or your extremely lazy teenage children. You already know that nagging and harping on the negative will do nothing to change the situation. Hating your body will not transform it. Dissing your spouse will not magically make him or her more loving or compassionate. But changing your own mind and attitude can work miracles.

Once you catch yourself in a negative thought--"I suck as a writer and I will never publish anything!"--you can immediately stop and switch tracks. Insert a positive thought instead: "I love writing and will continue to improve my skills no matter what." After all, there is no point in spending time writing (or any other hobby or vocation) unless you enjoy it. And the more you love what you do, the more likely it is that you will attract success.

Another simple practice you might try is noticing the positive (seeing the beauty) in every situation. (I realize there are certain extreme situations where this might be close to impossible, but most of the time this is immensely possible!) For example, my husband and I walk our dogs twice each day in the park next door to our home. I used to complain about the ugliness of this park--lack of trees, too much asphalt, port-a-potties--on almost every walk. Then I noticed my behavior and made a concerted effort to notice the beauty. And of course, it was there all along. The bluebirds and gold finches are abundant. There are ponds, wild flowers, blackberries, a river, deer, hawks, flowering trees. Looking for the positive is a choice. The more you make this choice, the happier you will become. And the more happiness you will attract.

Good luck with your second step! There is more to come!

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