Shifting Perspective

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Recently, a friend asked me "How do you stay so positive about things? " I responded with a long winded answer about paying attention to my thoughts and practicing every day to focus on attracting positive energy to myself. It was a more philosophical answer, but on reflection I realize the answer is very simple. 

It's a choice. 

I make a choice in each moment to focus on what I have that brings me joy and makes me feel good. I choose to generate thoughts that lift me up. I choose to respond to the world with kindness, compassion & understanding. Yes, I work at it every day and yes, I fail at it often. But I see it as a practice, which means sometimes it goes well and sometimes it doesn't. Either way, each day it gets easier. 

Each day I learn more about myself and others, and I create the world I want to live in. I still get into my vehicle some days and find myself reacting while I judge others about their driving, there is definitely something here to work on! But I'm aware of my thoughts and I give myself grace to acknowledge my humanness and appreciate how far I've come.

I aspire to show up like a" master" and celebrate when I achieve "apprentice". 

I'm doing the work and my reward is a feeling of satisfaction, pride and knowing I'm reducing the number of times I choose to suffer. One day, I will look back and know how far I've come. For now, I'm in a moment of gratitude for what I have, knowing my power to create and knowing that no one can take that from me.

My Practice

We have to do the work to see the results. Start by noticing your thoughts. Are you being self-critical or critical of others? What can you change about your thoughts in that moment to shift your perspective and think differently to create a feeling that is better than where you are in this moment? The easiest way I found to start was to set an intention every evening before bed to wake up and express gratitude for a new day. Then to take a breath and say “I welcome joy to my life today”.

Then as you go about your day, make an intention to notice your thoughts. Each time you notice your thoughts, acknowledge with a thank you. Simply say thank you to your guides, or the universe, or however you wish to word it that is comfortable. This simple act shifts your energy to one of gratitude and you give yourself the grace you deserve for making the effort. 

Soon you will notice this happens quicker and quicker. You will catch yourself sooner and shorten the amount of time you are suffering in sadness, or frustration, or negative energy. You will notice more synchronicity as your thoughts align with your experience and you encounter more joy and fun. You begin to notice more things that make you smile. You notice your thoughts are more naturally positive. It becomes easier to choose positive because that is your new set point every morning.

Give it a shot, you have nothing to lose and so much more to gain!