Namaste

Interesting article in The NY Times this morning about reversing negative thinking. The story makes connections between negative thinking and long-term ill health effects, and the opposite.

My default is to be positive - finding joy where and when I can. I don't know how the population breaks down on this, but in my little world I'm guessing 50/50 at best. For me, it's challenging, at best, and impossible, at worst, to be barraged by a person focused on the negative. Almost like a magnetic polar opposite, I can feel my body physically rejecting the negative vibes.

As my meditation practice has deepened and I've built defenses to negativity, it feels like negative people try harder to penetrate these defenses. Most recently, I've responded with direct conversation about my personal observation of the exchange. I try to be non-judgemental, simply pointing out the many positive things being overlooked by the person with the negative experience. This said, and generally speaking, the result has often been little more than a further rationalization of why the negative impressions are accurate.

I'm not a foolishly positive person, and I'm sure my family could point to many instances of negative imperfections. But the key learning for me has been that worry and negativity rob us of our capacity for joy. Joy is a treasure that must not be easily surrendered. Protect it. Learn the martial arts of the mind that help you develop a sanctuary from the daily barrage of interpersonal negativity and spoon-fed emotions from mass media.

Put the paper down. Turn off the tee vee. Go do something nice for someone. Do something extraordinary for yourself.