On A Positive Note

I would like to issue an advisory: please stay on a positive note.

When we read and/or watch the news or get on social media, it doesn’t surprise me that afterward we feel uninspired, unmotivated and imagine worst case scenarios.

“Oh my God! Donald Trump will have the nuclear codes!”

“Terrorist attacks!”

“Water protectors shot with rubber bullets.”

That is a scary world. If we want to make a better world, that cannot be our focus. It can’t ever be our focus when it comes to our imagination and visioning current or future possibilities. We must CHOOSE to imagine things changing for the better. We must imagine that peace, prosperity, and well-being for all is possible.

There are enough people imagining things going from bad to worse. Not because they want that but because the default mode is to go into fear. Even the most loving, kind, hopeful people feel pulled in directions that find them and the world in more suffering, injustice, and hopelessness.

I suggest that we focus on what we want and not on what we don’t want. We want to put in the time and energy daily, imagining positive outcomes and experiences.

By employing our imaginations in our favor when considering individual and collective tasks, we can design new desirable templates for ourselves and humanity.

Want peace on the planet? Great! Start with yourself. Connect to that peace that you want for the planet by touching the peace within you. What does it feel like? Is it calming or energizing? Does it change the way you breathe? As you have with your heart, become aware of the pulse of peace within you. Use your imagination to feel it and sense it. Don’t let your mind distract you here. Remember your inner peace also belongs in the world so radiate it out.

How about we step it up a little and exercise our imagination muscles? Your imagination muscles are that part of us that dream up new possibilities and ideas to create the worlds we wish to inhabit with our loved ones and with all of humanity.

One caveat, as the imagination works to create the positive world we wish to experience, there is an old phrase that comes to mind, “Nothing exists in hell without man’s consent”. Do not give in to fear.

Back to the exercise. Please set aside some time and a place to practice this exercise.

When you are ready, find a good safe spot to sit. A place where you will not be interrupted or distracted.

Take a few moments to look around at your surroundings. Allow your gaze to move from object to object, taking in the colors, textures, and shapes of these objects. Do this for a few moments. Observe your breath and notice if it changes. If you have an especially chattering mind take a little longer looking around.

Each time you feel the chatter begin shift your gaze to a different object or part of the room. At this point, we don’t want to engage in any stories or feelings about what you are looking at instead we want to see the things as themselves: chair, plant, leaf, window, blue, floor, stick and so on.

This exercise serves to open the focus from being engaged in narratives and scenarios within you to looking at the world around you. Think of it like opening the lens of a camera to let in more light. We are letting more light in.

Now, imagine seeing people and situations as expressions of light. As you look at someone, or a place ask yourself: “Which colors express the essence of this person in this moment?” Is it one color, or many different tones?  By essence I mean their spark that is not tarnished by negativity, judgment or fears. Imagine being able to see them in their positive light.

When we allow ourselves to see the best in others, past their self-judgment and fears we help to let the light in. We expand the volume of possibilities available to us. When we only see with eyes of fear and hopelessness that circumference becomes smaller and so do our futures.

Doing the exercises above will shift your mind’s settings from the gossipy, fear-based chatter into illuminated, multidimensional possibilities.They will naturally unburden you, and make you lighter, and more lighthearted in your daily life. Please practice, practice, practice.

We all desire positive futures and outcomes regardless of where we come from, what our politics or religion or economics are. We love to feel good, healthy and prosperous. Let’s use our imagination for creating solutions that generate that. Let’s imagine ourselves being winners who create win-win scenarios, lovers that have enough love to include the enemy, prosperous with peace and life-affirming goodness for all.

But first, we have to imagine it for the heart and body to follow.

Now it’s your turn.

How do you handle your mind’s negative scripts? Have you ever tried working with colors and light? Share your story with me in the comments below – I always love hearing about your experiences and strategies.