What are you paying attention to these days? What seems to be on a continuous loop on the record player of your mind?

I’m amazed at how much time I can spend thinking about things that make me upset. What should be fleeting thoughts sometimes end up replaying over and over again until my emotions get all mixed in and, before I know it, I’m feeling blue.

Does this happen to you? It’s not so much that your thoughts are bad. Thoughts are thoughts. They come and go. Unfortunately, some of those thoughts like to hang around and the more attention we focus on them, the bigger they grow.

We need to shift our perspective. For example, instead of paying attention to the one driver who cut you off, dwell on the otherwise safe drive you’re having. Think about how fortunate you are to have a car and be able to commute. Enjoy the scenery. In other words, take your eyes off of the negative and refocus your attention on the positive. You’ll find your outlook on life brightening and suddenly the things that bug you will seem smaller and smaller.

Do you remember this old song?

You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between

Try it! See what happens when you think on the good things.