To Think, Or Not To Think Positively? That Is The Question

A Complicated World

As the world becomes more complicated I find myself and others aligning with the negative aspects of the world. Yes, there are atrocities happening within the world. The United States of America is at war. Whether it is a war that we should be in or not is not for me to ponder, however; it is very difficult not to question some of the decisions that have been made in the past 5 years or so. If we continue to contemplate the many who are dieing needlessly because of this war we are only opening ourselves to negative influence.

Solutions To All Problems Are Impossible

There is so much press, some for and some against the war, that just reading one or two articles can throw your brain into a defeatist sensibility and the infinite wisdom of the mind will try to solve this war problem. I have caught myself several times trying to solve the problems of the world and forgoing my capabilities of helping those in my immediate reach. If I allow my mind to continue to try to solve things like war without all of the information my mind will continue endlessly to come up with a solution. However, since I do not possess all of the facts with which we are engaged in a war my mind will never be able to solve the issue and therefore continue to create different possible scenarios. Each will never solve the problem and therefore my mind will register failure and create an attitude of no self worth.

The mind will spiral down into a defeatist realm in which it will have difficulty bringing itself back up. If thoughts such as war and the atrocities that come with it envelope our minds those thoughts tend to take over our everyday lives. We become more despondent, more hateful, and more depressed. This in turn creates thoughts of ‘I don’t want to live here in this world, the world is filled with so much hate’. Of course these thoughts are not at all what life is about. Remember, if these thoughts are a part of our psyche they are there because we allowed negative information that we have no control over to rule our brain. We failed to fill our brains with positive information instead of negative.

Fill Your Brain With Positive Hope

If you fill your brain with serenity, love, and happiness there is no way your mind will spiral down to the defeatist thoughts above. Any time I feel the slightest bit negative I find nature is an amazing way to uplift the mind, body and spirit. I encourage everyone at least once a day to go out and be in nature. Whether it is watching a mother and her ducklings swim and bob for food, a gorgeous lavender and chartreuse sunset, the wind blowing through the delicate branches of a massive tree, birds soaring effortlessly through the background of wispy clouds or the smell and beauty of a freshly bloomed rose these are pictures that you should be filling your mind with.

Think Of All The Positive Things

I am not advocating that we bury our head in the sand and not stay informed. What I am suggesting is that we fill our minds with more positive uplifting information. Nature is not the only source of positive thoughts, think of family members, friends, or acquaintances that you have helped or are currently helping through tuff times. Realize that those individuals came to you for help because they knew that you would be able to help them and guide them on this ruff path. See the positive work you are doing on a daily basis within your own ‘village’.

Advocate Change Sometimes

You can still write emails to your representatives to persuade them to advocate change and make the over all countries’ life better but you must always fill your mind with more positive than negative. The more positive imagery and ideas you fill your mind with the more able you are to handle the tragedies that you hear or read about in the news.

Contact The Creator

As always when tragedy does strike not only positive thinking is going to help but positive thinking that there is a higher power that has created the earth, the universe and the human body that can help you through these moments of despair. Pray, meditate or commune with nature in order to get in contact with the creator who will be more than joyous to lend a helping hand. Many people have received the correct answer to their problem and have overcome it through just being still with the creator. All you need to do is ask and you will receive.

Dr. Betts

Please comment on your techniques in staying positive so others may learn that a positive attitude is much easier than they may anticipate.