Faith Venture

Remember “Pigpen” from the Peanuts cartoon series? Everywhere he went a cloud of dust enveloped him.

Know anyone like that emotionally speaking? Did you just look into a mirror? See gloom, despair, and agony? (Get the music reference? It continues “deep dark depression, excessive misery”)

What is your first response when someone with a perpetual cloud of negativity approaches?

RUN!!

What do you do when that person dragging the perpetual cloud of negativity is you?

Make some changes in your diet. Try fresh (when possible) vegetables and lean meat. Cut out foods high in sugar or sugar substitutes (high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners). Cut out highly processed food and deep fried food. Drink plenty of fluids–water, tea, coffee, some fruit juice (not too much–contains sugar).

Express emotional reactions honestly. Probably not on social media. But to a trusted someone. And develop a trusted relationship where you can confide the source of the negativity and who will encourage optimism.

Laugh. Intentionally change the focus of your mind. What you allow your mind to dwell on will determine your life. Go on a news diet. Download some good old-fashioned comedies–Marx Brothers, Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello routines.

At the beginning of each day, write down three things you can do to make a difference in your world today. At the end of the day, record 3-5 positive things that happened that day. Let that be the thoughts that take you to sleep.

Sleep well.

Exercise. Walk at least 30 minutes a day. Or cycle. Or run. Whatever gets you going–go.

Meditate. Either use an app (Calm was the 2017 number one app in the App Store last year, but there are many) or sit quietly focusing on your breath.

Don’t be an emotional “Pigpen”. Leave the cloud of negativity behind.

This entry was posted on April 9, 2018 at 7:03 am and is filed under Disciplines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.