It took me a visit to a recent conference of people of faith to see just how far we can drift from the positive over a period of time. You see, most of us may realise it on a superficial level, but not on a deep level that we are currently surrounded by a media and a world at large that is polluting our mental wellbeing with negativity. Eurocrisis here, unemployment hike there, nuclear fears over in the middle east, the list goes on, and for fear of bringing you down further I'll leave it there.
The thing is we already have our daily concerns. The weather, a loved one's health, house and car maintenance. We really don't need to take on other people's trash and hype on top of our already busy lives.
Beyond the maxim that 'bad news sells' I don't know why our 24 hour news culture is so committed to making us miserable. But it cannot be denied that there is a lot of hyperbole and exaggeration on a daily basis about how bad things are. I know you're not stupid and neither am I. The economy is not great, but there are signs of hope in the US, the engine of the world trade. Also, the Eurozone continues to hold together against the odds. If there is no good news coming towards us, why is that? Is it because the media thinks we want only bad news? For our own good as need to tune it out. The world is not nearly as bad as 24 hour news says it is. So, safeguard your mind from doomsayers. Watch less news. Don't read newspapers too much. This is not putting your head in the sand it is following a principle about taking in enough to know it, but not to wallow in, or you risk programme your mind for doomed. You probably know the phrase, 'You get what you focus on.' Its true, so don't focus on the negative.
At this conference, I realised that a fog of gloom had overtaken me for a while without me knowing. How did I realise? Because the people around me had massive faith! Faith is an antidote for depression, pessimism, cynicism, and fear. I hadn't seen nor heard such optimism in abundance for a long time, and boy, do we need that. Optimism makes things possible. It opens ths horizon, and helps us believe that life is worth living and that we can make massive strides towards the dreams we once kindled close to our hearts. Even if you say you don't believe in God, you still need to drink from a well of optimism, confidence and hope if you want to live to reach your fullest potential.
US preacher Joel Osteen seems very aware of the scientific tools of psychology and NLP when he says "Don't let negative pictures play on the movie screen of your mind. You are the director and the audience. You are in charge... change the channel...[instead] play the movie of you accomplishing your dreams." Osteen, It's Your Time, 2009.
This could easily be a life coaching manual. It could just as well be a psychologist. You see the worlds of faith and the science of psychology are so much closer than they realise, because virtually our whole life is played out in our minds. Water it and nurture it with good fertilizers and you will flourish, but if you allow yourself to be surrounded by negative people, and watch bad news all the time, you may end up bitter, angry and in regret. And I don't want that for you either. And if you don't want that for yourself then its time to call it a day.
It starts with choosing a different way, and fuelling it. Focus on the positive, declare that you want better from life, and choose to absorb things that will help you on that positive path with confidence and faith. Read nourishing literature, take a confidence course to build you up, and put what you learn into action.
There are few regrets on this positive path, only new horizons, and options explored. What have you got to lose? Nothing. But you could gain so much more.
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