Out with the Negative...

Every time we turn on the TV, read a newspaper, check out a magazine-you name it-it tells us that the world we currently live in is a pretty depressing place. Countries and people just can't get along, jobs are scarce and for every one person that leaves, there are several more waiting to fill that position, new diseases, natural disasters, and people starving right in our own backyards.

The American Dream is slowly fading, as homeowners become homeless and unemployment continues. Reports of corruption, payoffs, theft and dishonesty amongst politicians and corporate leaders surface almost daily, and those in charge are taken off their pedestals and disgraced publicly.

Hearing this on a daily basis, is, well, depressing. It seems so much worse now than when I was younger. Maybe it is, or maybe when I was younger I just wasn't paying attention that much, and now that I'm older I'm more in tune to things. Sure, I remember there were problems back then, just like there are now. But this time around, it all seems so different.

When I get overwhelmed with news and negativity, I tune it out. That means turning off CNN, not reading the papers, and resisting the urge to check out the news on the internet. I then try to focus on the good, the positive. Look around and see the beauty in things, both big and small. Like the butterfly that landed on the wall during our stay in Guatemala. Pictured above, she just flew in and stayed there on the wall, fluttering her wings and visiting us for a good fifteen minutes or so before heading out to gather nectar from the nearby flowers.

When surrounded with the negative, concentrate on the positive. If a negative thing happens, try to focus on a positive reason why it did. The answer may not immediately be known, but in time it will reveal itself. All things do, eventually. Surround yourself with beautiful things, they don't have to be expensive-they can be something as simple as a drawing your child has done to a lovely photo you took while on vacation that holds a special place in your heart. Draw the positive elements from these things and rid yourself of the negative ones that have a grip on you. Enjoy the day, and all the beauty surrounding you.

Wishing all of my readers a week filled with joy, love and happiness!