I have decided on a new goal for myself. I want to be less critical, negative and judgmental. I know, I've tried before, but this time I really want to work hard at this.We had a Sunday School lesson in which a really good analogy was made:
When you hit a tuning fork and then move it close to another object, the object resonates with the same sound.
When we are negative and "vent", we not only don't feel better afterwards, we usually lead the person we are talking to down to further negativity, as well.
I don't want to be that kind of influence on others anymore. Heck, I don't want to be that kind of influence on me anymore!
So, I think it would be more effective to replace a bad behavior with a good one. What better than if I feel the need to be negative or share a story that would only make me and the hearer more negative, I'll say something good. I suppose keeping my mouth shut would also be effective if there isn't anything nice to say!
6 comments:
Amen! I need to do the same thing!
What a great resolution! I'd tell you that you really are doing great, but I know that if I were in the same situation I wouldn't want anyone saying that to me (but you're wonderful anyway). So good luck! And maybe I think I'll try too!
Yeah, you really do need to work on that. I've been meaning to mention it for awhile, now I don't have to. ;) Just teasing, you are great...we'll keep you.
I'm all for venting if something has really upset you...in private. Sometimes I do a needed vent like that through writing, in a file I can easily delete when I'm ready to let go of the grouchies. (And I think "bottling up" your pain and annoyances is NOT a good idea.
And I completely agree with you--that tuning fork analogy is spot-on! Life is much more fun to live if you are busy looking for the good and trying to spread it around rather than focusing on the negative...and then spreading that around, whether you mean to or not.
Good luck!
(And I have set this same goal for myself many times. I always used this scripture: D&C 81:5. I don't know if that entirely makes sense, but I love the imagery in that scripture, and the idea that if we're not strengthening the people that are around us by every means possible, we're probably weakening them.)
I think that is a GREAT goal! I can't remember the program last year but there was a goal to not say anything negative for a month. I can't even imagine how long I'd last!
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