Is It Really That Bad?

When something unexpectedly goes awry, our monkey minds have the tendency
to frame it in a stuck negative position… as if it will always be that way!  Crazy huh?

Take for instant food poisoning or strep throat. It is an event with a clear time signature. But in the throws of feeling horrible, our thoughts hunker down into a position that our life is horrible. We extrapolate and futurize, overlaying our ill feelings onto EVERYTHING.

Catch yourself.

It is alright and even helpful to acknowledge what is happening such as,  “in this moment I am experiencing extreme discomfort”, but be aware of the key phrase  “in this moment.”

Remind the monkeys gone amok in your brain this is not a permanent position, just an event, and it too shall pass. It truly is a case of noticing “what is.” Unless you are really committed to creating a crappy life, the “oh everything is forever horrible” only promotes cascading negative thoughts that are useless and waste of energy.

As a big footnote: This is why a daily meditation practice is so helpful. You are creating neural pathways of clarity, calm, and strength that will assist you later on when the monkeys begin to rattle the cage so things don’t get out of hand.