Do you allow negative thoughts to feed your feelings about others? Since most of what we hear is not always positive, it is a choice to decide to believe the best and not the worst of every person and situation, isn’t it?
Is this hard to do? In some situations it is easier than others, but we must be on guard to not let the negative thoughts pop up instead of valuing and caring for others! How about when you are driving and others are not as careful as they should be? Does ‘road rage’ automatically set in? Do you ever stop to think about what might be causing the person to drive like they are?
This is an easier one for me to handle, but for some I have seen this rob them of their joy, peace, and concern for others, and whenever they get in their car they expect to see bad driving and it becomes a way of life as to how they let their feelings react to it. Funny thing is, the other driver didn’t even know the impact they had, we let them control our feelings and emotions willingly. In doing so, we not only robbed ourselves but we also brought others that are around us into the same mindset as well!
What about those that have intentionally hurt your business, family, and others? This is really pushing the choice of finding and believing the best in a person because we are focused on what they did, not on the why, aren’t we? I have not always been perfect at handling situations that involve confrontation and not letting my feelings explode! How about you?
However, I have finally realized, thanks to a great book by Joyce Meyer, called “Living Beyond Your Feelings” to truly live a purpose driven life and be successful and happy, I have to have a plan to not let my emotions and feelings run wild, and to face each person and situation looking for and believing the best and not the worse. This also includes seeing and believing the best of yourself too! No more negative talk about yourself, as this is not helping you see and believe the best in others!
Joyce shared, a great way to get in the mindset of thinking this new way is when you feel those emotions and feelings of negativity start to build is to immediately think of things that make you happy. Flip your mind off the negative feelings onto something that changes your attitude and the situation. It won’t take long to see that you would rather live in positive thoughts about others and yourself than live in the negatives. You never know when you start looking for and believing the best in others it not only changes your life, but it could change their life too!
Have a great week believing the best in yourself and every person, and love to hear how it works for you!