Dealing With Negativity

Starting out on any new journey can be frightening at times, especially when you are called upon to step out of your so-called "comfort zone" or when you face the possibility of ridicule or negativism from others.

On one hand it is easy to say that we should accept everything everyone and everything as they are, and instead work upon ourselves. It is a good intention indeed and I’m not meaning the kind of intention that goes unfulfilled. Literally, it is a good place to focus, acceptance of yourself before working on your acceptance of those around you.

Amongst the challenges and excitement this has to offer you, in uncovering the layers of yourself, negativity will play a key part in helping or hindering the progress you might like to make.

Negativity from others, who are either unaware of your chosen journey and even from those around you that are. Also, you cannot discount the negativity you feed yourself, the voice inside your head which questions your lofty thoughts and ideals, which would choose to distract you from your path, only to have you come back to that certain point where you left off at some later stage.

Practicing techniques for dealing with and deflecting negativity from yourself and others can serve to not only strengthen your resolve, but also facilitate the uncovering of who you are and your purpose, with greater efficiency.

Avoidance is a simple enough practice. Choose to avoid those around you who spread negativity. This is easy when these people are acquaintances, not close to your inner circle. Perhaps a little harder if they are friends or close friends, and harder still when they are immediate family.

In the case of friends, you should choose to associate with people of a higher consciousness. Perhaps your existing negative friends have the capacity to grow also and stay connected to you, but it is important to recognize that all things have a cycle, so do relationships. Analyze the relationships you have around you, and how they serve to inspire or drag you down. Change your relationships where it serves you.

One thing to remember is who you are serving on your journey. By serving yourself first, you will serve those around you. You can only travel your path knowingly, since you are unable to predict where or why the people that are around you now would move to on their path’s. To all things there is a season.

Choose a higher thought. In the case of self-induced negativity, the little voice that speaks in your head, questioning your good motivations, querying the choices you know and feel to be right. This is your ego. Understand that by choosing the path to self-knowledge and consciousness that you are committing your ego to ultimate death. Your ego has formed such an intrinsic part of who you are in a world focused on the external, that it is tightly integrated into who you are, and it can take an effort to reduce it’s affect and influence over you. After all, what is the ego to do once you realize yourself to be one with All That Is?

Ego-killing can be a longer process than you imagine, and there are more techniques that can benefit anyone in this pursuit, but whenever you experience a negative thought pop into your head simply accept it, dismiss it and choose a higher thought. Consistency in your effort will reduce self-talk over time.

Frame who you are becoming. Imagine a picture frame, the only content of the picture is you, no one else that you know, just you, but seen only in the context of who you imagine yourself becoming. Who are you in this picture? What are your attributes? What does this person have to offer themselves and others?

Meditate on this image, construct your picture frame and picture in your head. In times of challenge, simply conjure the image of that picture frame and what it holds, nothing else. This is a fairly easy way to focus again on you.

Have a magical moment,
-Mikel