Are you bulking up your negativity?

Between the very evident shift of our weather and the seasons, and being in the midst of the reflective ten days between Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), I find this time rich with mindful contemplation.  

Fall has always signaled this type of reflection within, and I know how beneficial it is for us all to take a breather and re-evaluate our lives, our aspirations for being, and really – how we are doing. 

I love that our newly resumed Women for Sobriety meetings occur on Monday, the same day that  WFS sends out their Monday Thought’s email.  If we look, we can messages and inspiration in the synchronicity that occurs when certain passages or readings come into our awareness when we are similarly aligned in thought and intention.

Today’s meeting was based around the WFS Statement #2, “Negative thoughts destroy only myself”.  I was definitely having some stinkin’ thinkin’ this past weekend, and it’s a true practice to reorient our way of thinking in a more positive and life enhancing way. 

The email from WFS also spoke of this statement, and shared an excerpt from author Jill Bolte Taylor’s book My Stroke of Insight. 

“If I am not persistent with my desire to think about other things, and consciously initiate new circuits of thought, then those uninvited loops can generate new strength and begin to monopolizing my mind again. To counter their activities, I keep a handy list of three things available for me to turn my consciousness toward when I am in a state of need: 1) I remember something I find fascinating that I would like to ponder more deeply, 2) I think about something that brings me terrific joy, or 3) I think about something I would like to do.” 

Now if you know me, or heard me speak, or teach, or whatever, you know what a fan of neuroplasticity and practice I am.  Anything we repeatedly focus attention on, we intensify and empower: be that mindfulness and ease through meditation, muscle tone in strength training, harboring shame by hiding our reliance on alcohol, or indulging in negative self talk or thought patterns. 

The words of Ms. Bolte- Taylor forced me to go deeper…  sometimes we aren’t even aware of the dark roads we gravel so frequently. 

So the first step to implementing her plan is in actuality, of course – Awareness around what is happening in our minds.  Can you lovingly catch yourself in the proverbial act?

Next, can you identify if there is a physical need that is putting you out of joint?
Are you physically uncomfortable?
Are you H.A.L.T.?  (Hungry? Angry?  Lonely?  Tired?)
Are you frustrated with a specific situation that you can identify?

Then we can move onto taking steps onto a positive new path once we have appreciated and addressed using Ms. Bolte- Taylor’s suggestions:

1. Remembering something you find fascinating that you would like to ponder more.
2. Think about something that brings you terrific joy.
or 3) Think about something you would LOVE to do.

Only then can we truly begin to reduce the negativity from our lives, and do the work that we need to facilitate growth in the new life we desire and seek without alcohol.