Why is it important to remain positive? The Law of Attraction states that what you focus on expands. Whether you fill your mind with positive or negative thoughts, you will attract more of the same.

A couple of important points to consider:

Only one thought can occupy your mind at a time
You choose your thoughts

While most people accept the first point as a fact, some might take exception to the second. They claim that thoughts just pop into their minds. It may seem like this at times, but your current emotional state has an impact on what thoughts come in. If you are very happy and positive it is unlikely that negative thoughts will creep in. Of course, “bad things happen,” but that doesn’t mean bad thoughts have to happen. Your thoughts are created from your reaction. Of course you will sometimes be sad, or angry. The important point is to not dwell on those thoughts any longer than necessary. Try to find the silver lining in every cloud as soon as you can.

There are some things we do voluntarily that introduce negativity, and you may not have realized it before.

Watch violent or sad TV shows or movies (or the news!)
Read the news (paper or online)
Listen to sad songs
Argue with people
Spend time around negative people

Now of course you can’t totally avoid these; you can’t live in a cave! You may be in a waiting room or a restaurant where there is a TV on and you can’t change the channel. In the same places there could be a radio playing a sad song. You might overhear people arguing or talking about negative things, or someone might bring a news item to your attention. You could be tweeting your website link and see other tweets that are negative. The idea is to control as much as you can.

Try not to watch TV shows and movies that are disturbing. I have often asked my husband to watch a show in his office and listen through headphones so I won’t have to hear gunfire, shouting, screaming, etc. If you hear people arguing, tune it out. Don’t engage in arguments. Change the radio station in your car or better yet, turn it off! I purposely do not watch, read, or listen to any news anymore except the weather. What if something “important” happens? I find it comes up in conversations with people, I do not have to go looking for it because I don’t live in a bubble!

I do need “down time” sometimes, and when I can’t be somewhere to just watch people, I will sometimes watch TV. If watching fiction I just remember that it IS fiction and don’t let the story bother me. Or I watch something funny or educational (Animal Plant, anyone?)

I might even learn to appreciate sitcoms! Or…not!