“Nothing that is outside of you can make you feel sad, angry, weak or disheartened … Without YOUR permission. Don’t put your button out there to be pushed. Develop the attitude of ‘I don’t mind, and it doesn’t matter’.”
~ JB Glossinger, MorningCoach.com
Ah! It’s nice to wake up to another day, clear skies, and a light passing rain shower to clear the air. Our weather guys say we’ll have two sunny days, before possibly another tropical wave rolls through on Sunday. Hello Summer!
So yesterday, I received an email from a friend asking for my input on how to handle negative people. Over the years, this topic has been a recurring theme on the Morning Coach podcast which I listen to. JB, the founder of MC.com, actually started the daily 15 minute podcast and pep talk to provide positive reinforcement for himself. He was surrounded by negativity, and he wanted to start a community of positive people.
Over the years, as I’ve contemplated on the above quote, I’ve grown to appreciate negative people and situations …. They help me strengthen my “buddha” mind and my compassion. By feeling compassion, I am less likely to take it personally. I’m less likely to feel the pull to interact. To interact often leads to my own button pushing.
So I’ve worked to surround myself with positive momentos. After I’ve sat, watching the sunrise, I come to my desk. The only photo on my desk is a big picture with “Peace, Love, Happiness” symbols. That’s where I start.
My desktop picture on my computer is of a Buddha in the Rain.
“As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with judgements,
but rain your kindness equally on all. “
Writing for myself (and you) on this blog is the next thing I do. It’s my exercise in Positive Mental Attitude building.
As I move to my Facebook scroll, I am inundated with positive images and messages, which I’ve placed there through my Page Likes (as have you …. you liked my page, thank you very much!!!). There are days that my feed feels like a scrolling poster child for positivity. And on some days, it can leave me feeling a little isolated from the real world …. It’s like the scroll is “too” positive. Where are my negative nellies that help balance out the tide?
In real life, my negative nellies are gone. To quote Robert Tew:
“Don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out!”
I’ve done so. Long ago.
In Facebook land however, I’ve decided to keep my negative nellies. For now. 90% of my friends, friended me. I made the choice to accept them, for better or for worse. Whenever I see something negative run through my scroll, sometimes I’ll provide a smiley face. But generally, it’s my duty to myself to quickly scroll on by, without reaction. As George Bernard Shaw says:
” I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”
What are your thoughts ?? Should my friend begin De-Friending? Or continuing to up her own PMA muscles and feed??
Today, I encourage you to join me in becoming the Buddha in the rain ❤
P.S. Need a little PMA boost? You can always head to my website, to scroll through photos and quotes. I’ll post out peace,love happiness and buddha in the rain today, so you’ll have them … http://www.reflectionsonsunrise.com/category/photos-quotes/
