“When engaging in simple everyday banter and communications, this rule of thumb can really help suppress a lot of our negative word ‘vomit’ since we often mindlessly chat about the things we don’t like. If we refrain from expressing our negative opinions about things unless they’re directly asked for, we can train ourselves to respond rather than react the second we see or hear something and then feel we must verbalize our views about it.
Remember, even if we don’t agree with someone or something, we can still speak about the subject at hand in a positive light to encourage growth rather than guilty motivation. I like to say I express more “inspirations” than “opinions” with each passing day.”
― Alaric Hutchinson, Living Peace
Sometimes it’s difficult to know why you act in certain ways or why you make a decision or choice. I find myself questioning different decisions I make and my emotional responses. I find myself asking, “Did I make that decision because I truly felt it was the right choice or am I merely reacting to another’s negativity or the heightened energy of a situation?” And like so many of us, I like to believe that my choices and behavior are rooted in a good place. But when I’m honest with myself, I know that sometimes I allow myself to simply react to the situation. And when I allow myself to merely react, how are my actions any better than those I deem to be negative and toxic? So, perhaps it’s time to change the tone of the conversation by proactively choosing to refrain from speaking negatively and instead when given the opportunity speak about situations and people in a more positive light to foster growth instead of divisiveness. By regularly engaging in this type of behavior, you begin to train yourself to consciously control the situation instead of the situation controlling you.