“While we stop to think,
we often miss our opportunity."
— Publilius Syrus
“The thoughts we choose to think are the tools
we use to paint the canvas of our lives."
— Louise Hay
[Classic post from 2-28-11]
If there is something going on in my life that causes me to think, I've always found myself (when I am paying attention) mulling it over. . . and over. . . and over again in my mind, often justifying my position, my point of view, and generally rationalizing and lamenting. This is especially true when there was a disagreement about something or other with someone or another.
In the last few years, I have learned that this is seriously counter-productive, and I've known it for these few years and yet didn't take charge of changing it very well. Yet, there is always hope.
Just in the last few months I have begun to truly practice the art of taking charge of my thoughts and continually coaxing them to a better feeling thought, even if it is a baby step, then another, and so on. The goal is to find what I like about the situation, encounter, etc. Sometimes, that is just too hard at first, so I still need a better feeling thought, so I just look at the scenery, the room, the tree outside, or some other object that I can focus on and appreciate. That usually gets it started, so then I can find another thing, and another, and then maybe I can come back to the subject and find some better feeling thoughts about it, now that I'm on a roll.
I found myself doing this today and I was very much conscious of the thoughts and my working out better feeling thoughts about the subject. And, you know, it felt so darn good because I've known this for a while and have not thought too much of practicing it, but it works so well, that I think I will just have to make it a habitual process.
Learning New Tricks Is So Cool.
Spread Some Joy Today–It's all about feeling better until you're feeling really good. Joy is the destination and the journey.