When everything sucking sucks you in

• ​When a person drowns himself in negative thinking,
he is committing an unspeakable crime against himself.
                                                                             - Maxwell Maltz


(Adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous)
Negative thoughts can rule our lives as compulsively as an addiction. The feelings of power we get from holding a dismal and gloomy outlook deprive us of the positive and pleasant parts of life. Some of us have said, "If I expect the worst, I won't be disappointed. If I think the worst about myself, no one else can cut me down." It is like taking a driving trip and looking only for trash and garbage in the ditches, ignoring the beauty beyond. Indeed, what we see may be real, but it is a very limited piece of the picture.

When we have relied on negative thinking, it feels risky to give it up, to hand over that power to the risk of the bright side. So, we cannot turn to being totally Pollyanna all in one day. We CAN begin by imagining ourselves with a more open attitude toward ourselves and the world. Then we can try it out as an experiment in little ways. Small steps. I recommend starting with trying to first WITNESS your negative thoughts rather than identify with them. Can you observe yourself thinking negatively vs BE negative? Can you notice what it feels like energetically, physically when thinking negatively? Once you can accomplish this, try next replacing that thought with something totally different and positive, possible gracious or at least neutral and also notice the shift in your physical, energetic body. 

Example:
• Walking to work having the thought:
   "I'm not going to get the credit I deserve for finishing that work project because the boss has her
   favorites and never acknowledges me."

• Notice the fact that your mind is having that negative thought.

• Notice how this negative thought impacts your physical body: possibly heavy, constricted, lack of
   breathing, tense, deflated.

• Consciously and deliberately change to a more positive thought:
  "I love the fact that I get to have old friends from out of town visit this weekend because they love me."

• Notice how this positive thought impacts your physical body: possible lightness, ease, expansion
   deeper breathing, smiley energy.