Let's Be Excellent to Each Other (and Ourselves)!

perspective (68)in #life • 8 years ago (edited)

Today I feel trapped in memories. I want to get out of my body, but I was told to try to stay with myself and either focus on reframing my thoughts or changing my thinking through conscious positive choices.

I am no yogi, but I am trying to stay positive.

I do not know how to reframe what is in my head. I keep remembering snippets of conversation and reliving intense humiliation because the response to my words was ridicule. How stupid am I?

I can answer that. I have been repeating it in my head all day. I am highly intelligent. I was stuck in a cycle. I saw it and chose a different way of being. I made not only a smart move, I made the best move.

I keep reminding myself, but it does not stick. If anything, the shaming voice is louder. The memories and feelings are persistent. I am changing tactics.

There is plenty of evidence for writing positives to increase positive thinking--what I am trying to do. This article is one. It cites a study in which half the participants write on positives for a set number of days and experience a shift in attitude and mood management, whereas their counterparts who were writing on set topics did not benefit.

I have already experienced promising results from the writing I am doing here. I want to keep it up! I recognize the intensity of my struggle today. My goal is to forgive myself and, like I said above, try a different tactic.

I saw something recently on looking at positive images having a similar result. I cannot seem to find it now. It was a scientific study from Cambridge, I believe. If I find it, I will come back and link here or in comments. Here is one on mental imagery and cognitive function.

I am going to lean on that idea today by sharing some images I find joyful. I already shared the copy of The Secret Garden I was reading.

Naturally, this means clips from favorite movies. I have to say, I smiled quite a lot as I hunted these down. Here they are!