“How do you feel about those things that you are giving most of your attention to? If there is something in your life that gives you negative emotion almost every time you think about it, we would do anything that we could do to get that negative thing out of our awareness.”
~ Esther Hicks
Those quote came across my inbox the other day (one of those daily subscriptions I have) and really made me pause.
UGH.
This is a tough one. How is that even possible? Ridding negative thoughts from our awareness that give us a negative emotion when we think of them? There is SO MUCH going on right now. I have a few things in my personal life that are constantly hovering in the back of my mind that fall into that category. Add on top of that the craziness that is our world. Ukraine. Uvalde. Mass shootings. The Supreme Court Leak. And so many other atrocities that happen on a daily basis.
There is also a part of me that wants to feel that emotion. The emotion of anger or despair or whatever it happens to be in the moment. I feel like I am a heartless human being if I don’t feel something. And I do. I do feel these emotions (as much as I really want to push them away). But I can’t let them consume my day. The emotions are very real but I have to put them to the side so I can function. As a stay-at-home-mom, my highest priority is to be present with my son. When my mind continues to go back to those thoughts that create a negative emotion, I come back to the present moment. Breathe. Realize that they are just thoughts.
If I didn’t have that thought, how would I feel?
This is a profound question that I have to keep coming back to. It’s so hard to do when you get caught up in that negative spiral of thinking. For me, this is one of those things that is a constant work in progress. Maybe even a life long work in progress.
Think about how you want to feel. When negative thoughts and emotions arise, commit to breathing through them. See them. Feel them. Maybe say “I see you, but my focus and energy needs to be elsewhere right now.” Come back to what is present in the moment. YOU. Your breath. And maybe the sweet gaze of a loved one.
Do what makes you happy.