Monday, July 20, 2009

Neg Blocker

neg blockersThere's all this popular talk about blocking out carb-fat-calories-radiation these days. Wouldn't it be nice if we had something to block out the negativity that surrounds our lives?



Well, we do.



It just doesn't come in pill form.





Recognize the negativity

You may just be having a sense that something is wrong, but not actually know what it is. Go find out. Do some investigation; whether it's searching inside yourself or asking trusted people you know. Become aware of just what the negativity is, what it looks like and especially what it's doing to you.



See if you can stop it at its source

Once you can recognize the negativity, see if you can get rid of the cause. It could be a person, or an activity, or an old habit. Whatever it is, see if you can make it go away.



Fight fire with fire

In lieu of removing the source, you can always control its effect on you. Literally fight negativity with negativity… Say "NO" ... if not to the source, at least to yourself. You may not want to get too loud if you're in the library or on a crowded street, since people might look at you funny, but whenever you feel the negativity creeping in, say it. "NO!!!" can have a powerful way of stopping it from sinking in further.



Fill 'er up with the good stuff

If you're filled up with positivity… good thoughts, well wishes… it will be tougher for negativity to make room. After you say "NO"… immediately picture what you DO want (whatever that is, even if it's seemingly unrelated to the situation) Say "YES." For example, you might have an argument with a coworker or spouse and you picture a vacation home in southern France. Seems off-the-wall, but it shifts you towards a better state of being.



Stay true

All too often, we get into a revenge mode, or a "well, everyone else is doing it" mentality… and we let that justify our slip into a darker place. Don't do it. Just don't. If you truly want the world to be a better place, then you have to be the better person. Don't make "Everybody does it" a true statement… as long as you don't do it, the world is automatically a better place.



See how important you are?

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

How to be a Happy Pessimist


:-/A Pessimist is not a Downer, just as an Optimist is not a Dreamer. Both just see the world differently. They expect different outcomes. The Pessimists like to fancy themselves "Realists" because they think they see the world as it really is, but actually they're only seeing half the picture.



Prepare, but don't expect

The really good thing about Pessimists is that they don't ignore the possibility of failure. That gives them a chance to explore the possibilities and have alternate plans ready. It's just really important not to EXPECT the worse to happen, because you may actually do subtle actions to ruin your chances of success.



Expect nothing, gain everything.





Enjoy the good times while they last

You believe that the good times won't last, right? But what are you doing while they're here? There's no law that says you can't enjoy the wonderful moments that life has to offer. So stop worrying that the worse is yet to come, and get to enjoying what's here now.





Don't make things worse

You create your own reality by every choice you make. If you believe that something is going to be bad, and you stop trying to make it better, it might actually get worse. You'll feel vindicated in that you expected it, but being in a worse situation won't make you feel any better, now will it? Be aware that you might be making the bad times happen.





You don't need to suffer

Yes, there is suffering in the world, and you should do something about it; just don't feel bad and believe you have to suffer yourself. Starving yourself is not going to feed a hungry child in a Third World Country (unless you mail them your sandwich). Feeling badly about a homeless person is not going to get them off the street any time soon. Don't feel guilty for having more than someone else, or just for having a good day.



By taking care of yourself, the world has one less person who's in pain.