Negative thoughts are overwhelming

Dear Energy Lady,
I do my best to stay positive, but it's hard to fight off negative thoughts.  What should I do?

Love,
Abby M.

Dear Abby,
It has been said that of the 50,000 or so thoughts that humans have each day, about 80% are negative, as in "I can't do that!"  "I don't have time!"  "I'll never win!"  "I won't be there," and so on.   We are in mental "nots" through the majority of our waking hours and dreamtime.

The purpose of our negative thoughts is to provide contrast so we can define ourselves and make choices about what we'd like to create and experience.  We've all walked down the street and said things like, "I'd never wear that outfit!"  Or, "I'd never allow my child to behave like that!"  When we define what we don't want, it automatically points us towards what we do.

The purpose of the negative, then, is to help us discover what is right and good for us.  The problem is that too often, we direct the negative thoughts to ourselves, and have difficulty finding the positive contrast.  It's meant to be a game, but when it's directed at us, we take it far too seriously.   When your negative thoughts make you feel bad about yourself or your life, that's when you know you've lost sight of the game.

So lighten up!  Listen to your negative thoughts, but don't take them seriously.  Play with them.  Find their opposite.  Fantasize.  Rather than try to get rid of them, allow them to stay.  The more you fight them, the more power you give them.  Just ask yourself, "What if I change the meaning of this one?" and then come up with multiple alternatives--the more lighthearted and smile-producing, the better.   How about taking something like, "you're too fat!" and changing the meaning to, "I am a calorie-enhanced energy machine with power to burn."

Just relax, play and have fun!

Love,
The Energy Lady