Alan Cohen's Post on Handling Negativity

This is Alan Cohen's excellent post on dealing with our own and other's negativity. It is worth reading and pondering. My favorite book of his is, "Why Your Life Sucks," which is available at Amazon.

The Strongest Currency

Native American folklore tells of a brave who came to the tribe’s medicine man and told him, “Two wolves are continually fighting in my head. One of them is kind, beautiful, and sane. The other is ugly, vicious, and crazy. Which one will win?”

The elder replied, “The sane one will win.”

“Why is that?” asked the brave.

“Because that is the one you will feed,” answered the medicine man.

Attention is the strongest currency at your disposal. Whatever you invest your attention in, you will get more of. Many people take diligent care about how they invest their money. Few people take such diligent care about how they invest their attention. Money attention begets more money, while happiness attention begets more happiness.

A college behavioral psychology class did an experiment that proved this principle. The professor had a habit of pacing back and forth in front of the classroom while he lectured. When the professor stood on the left side of the classroom, the students paid attention to him, took notes, asked questions, and laughed at his jokes. When the professor stood on the right side of the classroom, the students looked away, did not engage with the lesson, and ignored the teacher. It was not long before the professor was teaching strictly from the left side of the classroom.

When someone tries to insult or belittle you, they are standing on the right side of the classroom, and that is the time to withdraw your attention and energy from them. When they engage with you in a kind and meaningful way, that’s the time to empower them. You are sending them the message, “If you care to speak to me intelligently and respectfully, I will be happy to interact with you. Otherwise I will not respond. I do not engage with people who abuse me.” You might speak these words or you might simply let the principle quietly be your guide. If you are true to it, you will get results.

For a day, week, or lifetime, practice giving your attention to that which you wish to increase, and withdraw your attention from that which you wish to decrease. It will be the wisest investment you make.
Alan Cohen

Changing the World

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Anne Frank

Our prayers can, and will, transform the world we live in if we but believe that they will. Pray and meditate on some key spiritual statements from your favorite source and ask God for the Truth about them. Here are a few that you may ponder, but those statements that stand out to you are the best to use:

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.

The Government is on God's shoulders.

God is my Life, God is my Mind, God is my Being, God is my Body.

There is infinite Power and Wisdom within me to completely transform my world.

Update

Our attitude about life shapes the world we live in. This is stated in one way or another in virtually every religion on earth.

Meeting Life's Problems Spiritually

No matter what your problem is, God is bigger. No matter what your weakness is, your potential for strength is bigger. No matter what your fear is, love is bigger. And so it is. Affirm it. Know it. Receive it. Become it.
Marianne Williamson

Whether we are aware of it or not (and usually we are not), "God is closer than our very breathing, nearer than our own hands and feet," and is only awaiting our invitation to come into our lives. We were not meant to live in lack, limitation or inharmony, but we must open out the door to allow our own imprisoned splendor to come into expression. We can do this by "Affirming, Knowing and Receiving" the Love that is ours by Divine right, even though our five physical senses may testify differently.

A Selfish Reason for Forgiveness

"When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to
that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger
than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link
and get free."
Catherine Ponder

Resting in a Greater Sense of Peace

My Love encompasses all. As I drop the fear that anything could go wrong, I rest in a greater sense of Peace, which opens the door for good things to come. This is the "Law of Attraction" in a higher sense than is traditionally taught or spoken of.

Let there be Joy and Laughter

"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."
Khalil Gibran

Being Guided From Within

“Our inner voice whispers ever so gently… within us are all the answers to our problems. Success increases dramatically when we still the inner nature of our being and it is then that we hear the directions being given us. Our intuition becomes sharpened and, if we trust it, leads us to the paths of peace and gain.”
John Harricharan

What Really Matters

At the end of your life you will know that nothing you have done will matter - only who you have been while you have done it. Have you been happy? Have you been caring, and compassionate, and considerate of others? You will see that it is who you have been, not what you have done, that matters to your soul.
Neale Donald Walsch