“For life is quite absurd / And death’s the final word / You must always face the curtain with a bow / Forget your sin – give the audience a grin / Enjoy it – it’s your last chance anyhow” – Monty Python
I bet you sang, didn’t you? And I apologize if you have that song stuck in your head…well no, not really…because it was intentional 🙂
Recently I had the pleasure to converse with a few good friends. This conversation first took place in person with a couple of gals, then over email with other people and then finally with a wonderful woman. The common theme was “thinking positively.”
Although I’m trying my best with that, and I admit that it is very difficult at times but I think overall I’m making it a habit to think positively. But a friend brought up a good point, that thinking positively will only bring you so far. And he’s right, you can work your butt off with thinking positively but you really have to look at what’s behind your negative thoughts in the first place. Why do these negative thoughts come up to begin with. In other words, you have to find out what’s going on inside of you and pick things apart. You have to go on a journey – like I did to Australia (joke). Seriously though, you do have to take a journey.
And it’s scary to do so. We are conditioned to repressed certain beliefs, memories, feelings for a reason – because we don’t want to face them and acknowledge what they mean to us. It could be that we will have to admit to a big mistake, that we hurt someone, and the worst thing of all – that we’re human! Imagine that! But I’ve found out in my work that facing these beliefs is a lot easier than continuing to repress them, and a lot less tiring. It’s actually beautiful really.
I do this a few different ways, and what I find the method that works for me is to get out in nature and meditate. I admire the scenery while in thought or take a walk in nature. As a result, I am beginning to see the beauty in everything including nature, people, situations and events. I’m a lot more calmer, more open to relationships, more easy-going and accepting.
In fact, I make it a habit that whenever I’m outside, whether leaving home or a building, or even driving, I look up to the sky and look at what beautiful picture has been painted across the canvas sky. It centers me. Like this beautiful sunset I saw last night as me and my daughter came out of the mall.
Wouldn’t you want to be in this place? It’s there for your taking, if you’re willing to do the work.
