Distracted by your own negative thinking?
June 27th, 2010
One of the chief ways we become distracted is by our own thinking. We start thinking about the past or the future or about something else other than what’s going on now, in the present. When we’re distracted we lose focus and then it’s much harder to progress towards our goals. Our stress goes up and our performance is compromised – whether it’s on a test or when we’re facing any challenge in life. We literally fall off the path.
An example of this is when we become distracted by our own old fears. I can’t handle this, I’m not good enough, I can’t keep it together…and other negative thinking. “Negative” here means minus-ing, taking away from. But taking
away from what? When we’re thinking negatively about ourselves we’re taking away from our whole, positive, highest self.
Most of us are fed terribly negative messages about ourselves through our competitive schooling, though the media, through advertising– you name it. We buy into the message I’m not good enough. And then we start to believe it and, like any self-fulfilling prophecy, it comes true. But it’s not the truth.
Here’s the truth: you are already your best, positive, highest self. You have all the potential in the universe. You actually don’t have to do anything at all except support it rather than take away from it.
When you start thinking negatively about yourself don’t get distracted and pulled into that undertow. As soon as you realize you’re thinking that way, stop, plant both feet firmly on the ground, breathe out, and remind yourself of who you really are: your bright, shining, best self, the one who can make a positive contribution to society.
The best kept secret is this: you are already that great being. Put your focus on that.
You owe it to yourself and to everyone– your family, friends and community — to be the great being you already are. Get the negative thinking out of your way.
