It seems that whatever way we turn there are people hurting at the moment: jobs have been lost, relationships are ending, perhaps a loved one has passed away. Being part of a cosmic consciousness means that this affects us all in some way.
So how do we stay positive in an environment that seems intent on bringing us to our knees?
1.“You Get What You Focus On So Focus On What You Want!”
We are the creators of our own experience. As Napoleon Hill said “as we think, so we create.” If we want to shift our circumstances, the first place to start is with our thinking. What is going on in your life? What is it that you want?
If you are constantly focusing on fear for example, you will draw more reasons to be fearful to yourself. The part of the brain called the “reticular activating system” is a goal seeking organism and it will seek more and more of what you give it.
So keep your focus on what you want, rather than what you don’t want and allow it to do its work, driving you toward your goals.
You are in control of your own thoughts and you can reverse tendencies to negative thinking.
Wear a rubber band around your wrist, if you feel a negative thought coming, flick it so it stings a little, and then replace that thought with a more positive one.
In this way you will begin to re-program your brain.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Bring awareness to what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. The body loves adrenalin and will seek out more of it, even if it doesn’t like the experience eg fear, anger, drama, pain, as well as bliss, joy, ecstasy.
So be mindful about what you are doing, or watching on the T.V, ( not the news!) and make choices that will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted, and the body will respond accordingly.
You have an amazing body and it will never lead you astray, if you just learn to listen to it. Whenever you feel a negative emotion, your body is telling you there is something you need to listen to, you are out of alignment with your purpose, your truth.
Listen, and act accordingly. You can use this when choosing food, activities, friends and even your job. Do you love going to work? You spend a lot of time there so maybe its time for a change if you said no.
3. Choose Carefully
Who are you spending time with? Begin to notice the kind of people that leave you feeling energized, and the ‘vampires’ who drain your energy.
Who makes you feel good about yourself and who does not? When you bring awareness to how your body feels, you can begin to choose what is having a positive impact on you and make a positive change.
My personal mantra is to always choose according to how it feels in my body. No exception.
4. Stillness
Take time each day to just be still. It is in this space that the voice of our soul is most audible. Whenever I have a conflict or something feels unclear, I take the time to simply stop.
I throw out the question “ What is it you are wanting me to learn, to understand or to act on in relation to this situation”.
And I wait, and the answer always comes. I can trust the answer as from this place I know it has come from my highest self, not the ego or my mind’s chatter.
4. Top Tens
What are ten things that you LOVE to do? What inspires you, what makes your heart skip? List your top ten passions in order of how great they make you feel. Make it a habit to choose at least three of them and do them every day.
It can be as simple as watching the sun- rise, making time for real conversation with your partner, making your favorite leaf tea, or soaking in a hot bath on a freezing day. When we are doing the things we love, the result is positive feelings in our body.
5. Get Yourself A Coach In Trying Times
We can accomplish so much more when we work together.
If you are going through a rough time, it is a wonderful experience to work with a coach who can guide and support you, help clear out the fears and limiting beliefs and other self-sabotaging habits you may have.
Often we have blind spots when it comes to ourselves, that a coach will be able to bring to our attention. I have made a decision that I will never again go through a hard time without the support and guidance of a coach – yes, even coaches have coaches!
Often theses ‘trying times’ are the way of the universe in forcing us out of our comfort zone to an even higher level of personal evolution.
We are being asked to gain internal resources, to think differently, to make a change. While we can’t see it in the moment, there is always a higher reason.
Ask yourself: What is the gift in this situation? Who will I be when I gain the resources to deal effectively with whatever is showing up?
And work with your coach to successfully transform what appears to be an obstacle into stepping stones to success.
6. Gratitude
Remember to take time each day being grateful for what you do have. In what areas of your life are you abundant? Do you have a family or a good friend who is always there for you, a pet who greets you with delight.
We all have the experience of walking with the sun on our faces, the coolness of the breeze, dancing in the rain. There is always something to be grateful for.
Gratitude will train you to be positive and sends the universe the message that you are open to receiving, and it will send you more. This is a way of aligning your energy to positive flow.
7. Give Give Give…
Truly there is no better feeling than that which comes from unconditional giving. Give it a go for a week. Each day give of yourself in some way, to someone who is not expecting it and see how it impacts on how you feel.
For some of these days, make these acts that of the ‘silent monk’- don’t let on that it was you who did the gracious act! Give for the pure joy of giving, and watch your body abound with joyfulness!
8. Pretend
If you still don’t feel joyful, pretend! Position your body as you would when you are really feeling the feelings, laugh – yes even for no reason!
Imagine a time when you really did feel joy, see it in your minds eye, feel it in your body and hear the sounds that were going on. What is your self- talk saying to you? Bring the experience to life in your imagination.
When you imagine something vividly enough, the brain doesn’t know that it isn’t really happening and so once again, the body will respond accordingly. This is the one time when it’s okay to fake it!
It really is up to us how we choose to feel. We have been given this great gift of life so why not make the decision right now to make the most out of every single moment, no matter what is going on around you.
IN EVERY MOMENT YOU CAN CHOOSE JOY!
