Thoughtful Tuesdays : Look for the Good

For the longest while it seemed all I could attract into my life was negative energy. Everywhere I looked there was something awful, something bad. My mood was pretty much always in the dumps. I felt awful about myself, my life, and everything that I attracted my way. I tell you one thing, it's not a very good way to live, at least not for myself. I was miserable. So then when I started doing some serious self work a few years ago someone told me to find at least one positive thing about my day. It could be the sound of a bird singing in the morning, or a wonderful adventure with a friend of mine. Whatever it was, I had to take time each day to focus on it. At first I found it incredibly hard to do. I was in such a dark and dreary place. To be quite honest, I had a hard time giving myself permission to seek out the positive and acknowledge it. Nothing was changing for me, so I finally decided to just give in and look for something, anything that made me smile even a little bit, or made my heart sing even just one little note. It didn't take  long after that first initial decision to look for the good before the daily list started to grow and grow. I was floored at how many good things happened in my life in the run of a day. All this time I was dwelling on the yucky stuff completely distracted from the wonderful things happening in my life. What a difference it makes too I tell ya! Now it comes so naturally to stop and smell the roses, to see the good in almost every situation. It really makes a difference on my body, my mind, and my soul.

The holidays can be the most delightful of times - according to all the commercials, movies, tv shows, and songs. It can also be an emotional trying time for all no matter what walk of life you come from. So I'm going to doggy dare you (oh yes, I just said doogy dare!) to try to find the good this holiday season. No matter what the holidays has in store for you, try to find the good in every situation. Be mindful of how your body responds to your attention being on the positive instead of the negative. How this influences your interaction with yourself, and with others.

The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

Look for the Good

Life is an interpretive experience. What happens is less important than how we respond to our circumstances. An intense stimulus that some people report as pain, others report as pleasure. It is we who decide what interpretations will be. 

Are you a "goodfinder"? A recent study of the country's millionaires showed that the most common trait they all shared was the ability to discover good in any situation. This trait is also common in the "triumphant survivors" -those individuals who overcome adversity and emerge strengthened and renewed. 

A sincere spiritual seeker suffering from a chronic illness wondered, "why haven't my prayers been answered?" One day, in deep meditation the reply came: "Look for the good in your sitatuion and you will see that the answer has already been provided." Suddenly this woman realized that her crisis provided a wonderful opportunity. She embarked on a program of nutrition, exercise, and yoga which led to a dramatic improvement in the quality of her life. 

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Your state of mind is up to you. Choose now to look for the good. 

Affirmations

1. I look for the good in all my affairs.
2. No matter what the circumstances, I find something positive that I can learn from them.
3. I experience all events as enhancing my spiritual growth.
4. For every loss, there exists a corresponding gain.
5. What goes down must come up.
6. Your Own ______________.