The Possible You: Accentuating the positive
There is an old expression in the world of computing that says, "Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)," which means the computer can only produce results based on the information given to it. In the world of The Possible You, we can use this analogy to say our attitude will be positive or negative, depending on the information we let into our minds.
Here is an example. Let's say you spent an hour watching the news on television. During that time, you probably heard about a school shooting, a political argument, conflicts in other countries, and likely several commercials for drugs with scary side effects. Do you think after this hour you would feel happy and optimistic? Neither would I.
I'm not saying we shouldn't watch the news or be informed about what is happening in the world, but we need to balance this negativity. Imagine if we spent an hour reading an about good health or stories about people who are working to make the world a better place. And if, in addition to this, we used part of that hour to spend time in nature, or we just took time for some relaxing deep breaths — how do you think you would feel after an hour like that?
When we take time to slow down our breathing and relax, our body goes into "rest and digest" mode. That keeps us calm, our muscles become less tense, we can think more clearly, and we are in a state of mind to be able to make good choices and wise decisions. This ability to think clearly also makes us better listeners. We can tell when someone is lying to us or trying to manipulate us for their benefit rather than ours.
The other component of this analogy is to avoid negative people. If someone is constantly lying or complaining or if they try to force their will or opinions on us, we do not want to be influenced by their negativity. The people we want to be around are those who talk about hope and who want to see everyone be happy and successful in their lives. I'm sure we all know at least one person whose very presence can spoil a good mood. We don't want to spend any more time around that type of person than necessary, and we certainly don't want to be that person, either.
Empowered living thoughts
Just as we are familiar with the people who are negative and energy-draining, we also know the folks who light up the room, radiating love and positive energy. These are the friends that can always elevate your mood and make the best out of even the worst of circumstances. These are not people that have managed to live without any hardships. On the contrary, they are proof that we can consciously choose how we show up and respond to life and its stressors.
Certainly, everyone is allowed to have an occasional "bad day," but how often do we find ourselves there? We need not feel like victims of our own lives, and we can decide to reframe our mindsight so that those "bad days" do not seem so bad after all. The key is in our ability to manipulate our own perception by adjusting the lens to incorporate a larger view.
Joe started us on this journey by inviting us to look at the information that we let into our minds and how it influences us. Tuning into the local or mainstream news channels often provides a steady diet of tragedy and turmoil. Scrolling through social media pages creates the conflicting illusion that everyone except us is living perfect lives. The reality of life is somewhere in the middle of these two bizarre extremes.
It is up to each of us as individuals to decide what information we will put into our minds, recognizing that balance is needed if we are to construct a truthful rendering of reality. Life is not composed of only positivity or only negativity, but a beautiful medley of both. From this grounded view, we can begin showing up differently in life. This can look like finding more capacity to flow with life's turbulence instead of resisting it or practicing gratitude acknowledgement, even when we are feeling less than thankful.
Although this style of living may feel challenging if we are stuck in a pattern of well-worn negativity, it is very much worth the effort. It can enable us to step out from underneath the rain clouds and notice the rainbow that has been waiting for us all along.
Joe Sarnicola, of Auburn, is a certified spiritual life coach and meditation leader. He can be reached at or (315) 224-5071. Mary Pasqua Waldron is a certified yoga teacher, reiki practitioner and producer/presenter of the "Empowered Living" podcast.
Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
