I spent yesterday on the bank of my favorite river reading and playing my fiddle. Other than a brief moment of having my buttons pushed by a segment on NPR I did pretty well. I caught myself as I was about to spiral into righteous indignation and anxiety and calmed down by telling myself that whatever happened I would handle when the time came. It reminded me of why I don’t watch the news, my fascination with TMZ is another story altogether.
Yesterday was an easy day and an easy day not to be negative which is not the same as being positive. Removing and keeping negativity from my life reminds me of cleaning off the dining room table before a dinner party. It’s difficult to add the setting for a nice dinner on top of piles of paper, old tea cups, mail and all the other stuff that seems to make its way to the dining room table. Negativity is clutter of the mind. Happiness comes more effortlessly when you don’t have the clutter of negativity in the way. It’s easier to set a place for love and the magic it brings when there’s space. That’s what I’ve discovered about not being negative, it gives me space. There is space for me to choose a different response, to see someone else with loving compassion and it gives my mind space for happiness to grow.
Miss Kitty recommended The Happiness Project. It’s a nice site with some good tips. A book that got me started on happiness is Choosing-Happiness-Life-Soul-Essentials. It was one of several books I bought on sale and I was pleasantly surprised when I got around to reading it several months later. It’s a book that I go back to often.
How’s everyone doing?
i use a combo of shea butter and aloe vera moisturizer. Works great. I use shea butter on my lips, around my eyes and nose (dry areas), My father swears by vasoline.
p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
I’m sorry for the duplicate. My cut and paste got away from me.
I like your expression…Negativity is clutter of the mind.
I’t helps me to stay positive if I can not get frustrated. I am currently on 50mg of prednisone, plus many other Rx. Tends to make me confused, tired all that good stuff. The more I accept this situation and realize an end will come, the more patient I am with myself. This keeps the negative thoughts at least reasonable, so i can work through them.
Thanks for your story, On the bank of your favourite river, reading and playing your fiddle..sounds so beautiful.
Hi watermusic,
I am more aware of my negativity, thanks to your reminders!:) When negativity arises, which it will (!), I’m using it as a reminder to ‘return’ to just being more aware and with myself. Using negativity to return to “sanity” is serving and important purpose!
The main cause of negativity is that our mind is searching for answers to life’s dilemmas. The mind spins webs, of sorts, trying to make sense out of our experiences. This constant spinning prevents us from returning to the simplicity of the very uncomplicated center of our origin.
We distract ourselves in just about any way we can from the intimacy of our life source/center and in today’s world, distractions are endless! We cannot ‘grow’ our inner contentment as long as we are, continually, “out there”.
So, negativity, leads us inwardly to ‘touch’ the center of our source, to remember that “everything is alright, right now”.
BTW what a lovely way to spend a day!!