Elisabeth Fayt, Author of Paving It Forward
Let’s face it. We’re human beings, not stones. We “feel”. But being human, sometimes we don’t choose feelings that serve us well. What we feel, we attract. And what we strongly feel, we become a powerful magnet for.
Isn’t that reason enough to want to make a change?
So let’s take a snapshot of FIVE of the most common negative emotions we human beings tend to hold onto and explore how we can overcome them.
Jealousy
Ever felt envious of someone who has more than you? Well for every person who has more, you’ll find one who has less. Whenever I feel a tinge of jealousy coming on, I think of someone who has less than me, then I feel grateful for all that I have.
Wrath
You know the things that drive you to anger. They’re usually the same thing, only in different disguises. If you boil it down, anger is caused by unfulfilled desires. So if you find yourself in an angry state, ask yourself, “What desire isn’t being fulfilled?” By asking that question, you’ll figure out what it is that is causing your anger, and that’s the start of dealing with it. The opposite of anger is calmness. So the next step is to take some deep breaths and pre-pave “I am calm, I am peaceful.” You’ll be one step closer to peace of mind.
Fear
Usually, the things we fear are false. They haven’t happened yet. That’s why we fear them. It’s important to know that what you fear, you actually attract. So you absolutely want to get away from any fear thoughts because they will bring you exactly what you don’t want. Swami Sri Yukteswar says “Face your fear and it will cease to trouble you.” This is the key. Whatever you’re afraid of, stand in front of it, face it, tackle it, become one with it, almost like getting close to your enemy. You’ll find it isn’t so bad after all.
Greed
If you knew that there was enough for everyone, you’d never feel greedy again. Greed is the cause of much trouble in the world. Greed comes in many forms. At the dinner table, it can come in the form of eating or drinking more than we need. In business, it can come in the form of dishonesty or aggressive measures in order to get ahead of the next guy. Subtle forms of greed are to waste things that you could easily share with someone else who may need them. Start to shift your thoughts to remembering that there is more than enough for everyone in the world and that giving brings you more! Even just the awareness and acknowledgment of this can be the first step. Catch yourself thinking or acting in greed, and shift from the thought of taking to the thought of giving.
Sadness
Really, there’s nothing good about this emotion. The fact is, people who are habitually sad actually like it, that’s why they hold onto the feeling so dearly. But honestly, it doesn’t bring abundance, and it’s the opposite of happiness, so I urge you to take the first step to climb out of it. If you understand that sadness is really just self-pity in disguise, you see that you put yourself in this state, so only you can get yourself out. Start by shifting your thought to one thing that’s working well in your life. Every life has good in it, no matter what is going on. What you look for, you will find. What you focus on, will expand.
