Removing the Stress + No More Apathy + Oh...Nuts!
Good Morning from Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island
This might a two cup visit. Maybe a bit today and a bit later today, I have been thinking and a lot has been into this journal.
I cannot help think of the people of Ukraine. People have been working hard for the last 20 years to establish a liberal democracy.
My curiosity has me pulling on a thread to determine how many free and democratic societies there were in the world. I was shocked to see the graph representing the number of people living free. Knowing that I live in the darker blue section; I am very grateful. And I need to be diligent in preserving what we have.
I love this quote by Dale Carnegie.
“Any fool can criticise, complain, and condemn—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”
Two years of Covid, the internal strife within our democracies, the fracturing of friends and families over different opinions is causing stress.
Pulling on the thread of dealing with stress, I found articles that make several recommendations. So I created a mash-up of ideas below.
The trick is not to get sucked into a negative mindset.
Our mindsets set the tone for how we approach the events and circumstances of life, which are often out of our control. ~ Dr. Carolyn Leaf
I have been researching trauma and personal development for the last six months. Personal development has been an interest for a long time, and it is a discipline I am learning to practice. Self-awareness is key. More to come about this at a later time.
Take steps to seek out positive relationships and experiences. This helps counter negativity, allowing us to grow.
So how do we begin to banish negativity from daily life?
Here are a few tips I gleaned from reading and practicing.
- Understand The Root Cause Of Your Negativity
Asking questions is vital. What is the root cause of the negativity? Is it your circle of friends? Is it fear of failure? Unworthiness?
"Accept the truth from whatever source it comes."
Rabbi, physician, and philosopher Moses Maimonides
- Go On A 'Thankfulness Tour.
When was the last time you went through your day being thankful for every little thing? Go on a thankfulness tour. Find everything that brings you joy, from a sunrise to a good friend. Fill your life with joy because the one person you listen to the most is you!
Interrupt anxiety with gratitude. ~ Danielle LaPorte
- Create A Positive Daily Practice
Banishing negativity begins by creating a daily practice of positivity. Establish an enjoyable morning routine that's inspiring and nourishing. It will set a powerful tone for the day. Your daily practice might include gratitude, journaling, meditation and exercise. I do find this helps to get through negative experiences and away from negative people with grace and ease.
One of the most challenging things to learn is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. – Thomas Henry Huxley
- Accept That Negative Thoughts Exist
When we accept that negative thoughts will come, we can also accept that we don't have to listen to those thoughts.
Where your mind goes, your life follows. ~ Dr. Carolyn Leaf
- Cultivate A Positive Environment
One way to banish negativity is to establish what you listen to and see all day. Staying away from the news or music that is not of cheerful disposition is critical. We can not underestimate our surroundings. Our environment sometimes dictates how we feel and act.
Make your environment as distraction-free as possible. When you’re constantly being bombarded by distractions,
you need to draw on your willpower resources to resist.
~ Peter Hollins
- Change The Voice In Your Head
"Fire," the negative voice in your head that is getting in your way. "Hire" an inner champion.
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and freedom."
~ Victor E. Frankl
- Study Your Energy Patterns
You attract the energy that you are. If you're able to alter your energy patterns, you won't have to focus on seeking out positive relationships. Instead of you seeking them out, they'll be drawn to you. Ever heard of "like attracts like?"
“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.” —Isaac Asimov.
- Let Go Of What You Can't Change.
I realised I was wasting good energy on things I could not change. So try it, and you will banish a lot of negativity both in you and around you.
Our intention is to be happy, but often our actions aren’t the ones
that lead to happiness. ~ Pema Chödrön
- Practice Mindfulness (something I have not learned)
Practicing mindfulness is one of the best ways to catch yourself before you dive headfirst into a harmful “habit hole.” Instead of replaying negative thoughts, you simply notice the thoughts popping up in your mind. Observe them and gently let them dissipate, releasing them. Learning to detach from the noisy “mind junk” is healing, empowering and powerful.
Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Take Time To Connect With Others
Reconnecting or building new connections allows us to move away from negative relationships. Establishing "good company"—a network of people who tune into us and have our best interests at heart. This is not only healthy but also forces us to grow through introspection and self-awareness.
People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.
– Joseph Fort Newton
- Affirm And Appreciate Yourself
Decide to work on self-awareness skills regarding the transfer of positive and negative energy. We can remove all people, places and circumstances that hinder you from being your authentic self.
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline: the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. ~ Abraham J. Herschel
- Reframe Your Thoughts As 'I Get To...'
There is the concept of saying, "I get to..." versus the language that is typically used, "I have to..."
You are just shifting one word, which turns the mindset and the outcome from a struggle to a blessing. So change your language, change your mindset, change your world!
Our thoughts, depending on whether they are bad, can bring us either to paradise or to hell; this happens, neither in heaven nor under the earth, but here, in this life. ~ Lucy Malory
- Switch To A Growth Mindset
Switching beliefs from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset begins with self-awareness. And evolves from a state of wanting something new and different. When we have a growth mindset we are open to learning, inspiration, and growth. And having positive, lasting behaviours, relationships, and outcomes.
The growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments, everyone can change and grow through application and experience. ~ Dr. Carolyn Dweck
- Use technology, don’t allow technology to use you.
While our phones are fantastic tools, they are just that—tools. The easiest way to start building relationships with those around is to put the phone down, look up and smile. The next thing you know, that smile leads to a conversation.
We are all addicted to our habitual way of doing anything, our defences, and, most especially, our patterned way of thinking or how we process reality.
~ Richard Rohr
Before I go…
Are you worsted in a fight?
Are you cheated of your right?
Laugh it off.
Don't make tragedies of trifles,
Don't shoot butterflies with rifles
Laugh it off.
Does your work get into kinks?
Are you near all sorts of brinks?
Laugh it off.
If it's sanity you're after; There's no recipe like laughter - Laugh it off.
~ unknown
Thank you for being here today.
I wish you a weekend of peace.
Listening to a new album Milana Zilnik. Considered a classical crossover album.
With love from Prince Edward Island,
Bruce + Millie
ps. Your Morning Smile
I asked the three-year-old what he likes to eat.
“Nuts,” he replied.
“Great,” I said. “What kind, pecans? Walnuts? Peanuts?"
“No,” she said with a smile, “donuts!”
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