The world is a crazy place. I find myself often feeling this forlorn sense that everytime we think we have passed one hurdle there is another one coming our way. It can feel like a neverending barrage of bad news after bad news. And even if there is a feel good moment, such as when a Blue Jays Fan Gives Home Run Ball to Young Yankees Fan, it quickly gets lost in the bad.
How do we combat this sense of feeling forlorn, lost, depressed? How can we find ways to increase our positive thinking? First and foremost we need to accept that the negative feelings that do come and that we do feel. It is part of the human experience. Once we are able to name and acknowledge the negative, we remove the resistances we build to avoid challenging and difficult feelings, thus opening ourselves to the ability to experience the positive moments as well. One of the methods for embracing this more positive method is through gratitude practices. Months ago I discussed the value of beginning our day with thanks as exemplified by the Jewish practice of reciting the prayer Modeh Ani (I give thanks), Prayer: beginning with gratitude.
While we can get into the habit of starting our day with gratitude, it is easy to lose sight of the initial positive feelings of the day when we are going through the motions of the day. It is easy to feel lost in the depths of too much constant information and media. To cultivate gratitude through the day requires us to be as deliberate as we are in the first moments of our day. Do we take the time, even a focused moment, to thank someone when that person does good for us? By this I don’t mean throwing out a muffled thank you as we zip past someone. I am referring to intentionality, being mindful and focused on feeling grateful for receiving something from another. I have found that these small moments of focused appreciation can help us journey further away from the named frustrations of the day.
If we begin building a foundation of reframing our time and days with positive moments, perhaps when we look back, our mind will be filled with positivity instead of the negative we so easily find.
If you or someone you know is looking to cultivate a new path in life, Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com.
New beginnings: A blog about spirituality, chaplaincy and renewal 