Bringing Awareness to the Apathetic

I was feeling a tad down in the dumps, when Jenny, my ex-coworker let me know about a lecture by a woman named Gabrielle Bernstein — “Falling in Love With Your Future”. Normally these motivational speaking type things isn’t my bag. But I felt the need to be inspired tonight.

Gabby’s basic premise is that if you consume yourself with negative thoughts, then everything around you will be affected by that. I realized then that a lot of my thinking can be clouded with negativity, specifically jealous and insecurity. These types of thoughts can only hinder your potential. Her general overall theme of taking the negative thoughts out of your mind through the three step: “Recognize, Record, and Release” was very impactful. First, you have to recognize/identify the negative thought- i.e.– I’m jealous of that bitch because she has a cuter boyfriend and a better job than me. Record is a way to further identify the negative thought by getting it out on paper. Once you write the thought out, you allow yourself to feel the pain for 90 seconds, then you Release it by re writing it to be positive- i.e.– I’m happy for her because she has an awesome boyfriend and a great job. Identifying negative thoughts, then separating them, then blocking them out, clears up the clutter in your mind. I started to wonder what kind of negative thoughts I might have. A girl at the lecture mentioned that she would have the same negative thoughts at certain times each day. I wonder if I would start noticing trends in my thought process.

Even if you aren’t into “meditation” or “affirmations”, everyone can enjoy a little bit more positivity in their day-to-day life.

Gabby states that with the promotion of positive thoughts, you can achieve your goals. If you think it, then you’ll feel it, then you’ll become it. Negativity and fear are what’s keeping you down, and what’s holding you back. Sometimes I have thoughts like “I want to study design, but I fear as though I am not creative enough”. If you have that type of thought, you automatically won’t succeed, because the fear inhibits you from reaching your potential. Maybe being a designer isn’t meant to be, but that initial doubt and fear is only crippling you.

I have never meditated before. I have tried, but I am too impatient and my attention span is too short for me to not get figidy. My mind starts wandering after the first 2 minutes. But Gabby asks us to meditate every morning and every night. At the end of the day we are suppose participate in a “Gratitude Meditation” and say what you are grateful for. Every morning she wants us to get up and set the intention for the day and be grateful. 

I’m going to try Gabby’s method for thirty days. I’m going to begin to recongnize the joy and release the negative. I’m going to change my world by changing my mind! Let’s see what happens in thirty days… stay tuned…