A while back I shared with you my thoughts about “The LIE About Positive Thinking.” Today, I’d like to expand on that topic in a different way. Specifically, the question is: Is it okay to have our thoughts?
On the surface, it seems obvious. Of course it’s fine to have our thoughts!
But what if they’re judgmental? Or so anti-Law Of Attraction that they’re negative or hurtful? Shameful? Is it okay to have those thoughts too?
I recall years ago that whenever I wanted to feel a specific kind of emotion, I’d change my music to something that mirrored what I wanted. If I wanted to feel energized, I put on Dream Theater, Van Halen, Metallica, or Robert Miles. If I wanted to feel mellow, I put on some Diana Krall, Enigma, or Enya. For whatever mood I wanted, I put in the music that would take me there.
It wasn’t until I ventured further down my spiritual path that I realized how detrimental that was to myself. I thought I was doing myself a favor by “picking myself up” naturally. Sort of like when you have a bad day, and a friend comes over and says, “Hey, let’s go shopping and get some dessert. Forget that loser ex of yours for a while.”
On the surface, that seems empowering and compassionate. The intention is well. However, all those examples have one thing in common:
Rejection.
Each one of them is rejecting the moment. It’s rejecting the person’s experience. It’s rejecting the possibility that being right where you are is exactly where you’re supposed to be. It is fundamentally saying to yourself, “Stop feeling the way you know you shouldn’t.” And as I teach in Liberate Your Life, every time you use the word “should” you’re identifying with Your Inner Critic, limiting your growth and minimizing your happiness.
So then what’s the alternative?
Honoring the moment.
Instead of telling yourself how to feel or trying to change how you feel, just accept it. With regards to my music, I found a real deep peace and a kind of magical mystery when I switched my mindset. Instead of finding music to cover up what I felt, to ignore my emotions, to try and transcend them, or try to evade them…
I found myself putting in music that honored exactly who I was in that very moment.
The result was profound. Instead of having an underlying agitated state of rejection and frustration, I was listening to the perfect music for that moment. Because the music was aligned with my inner state, there was a resonance which created a sense of peace.
It seems counter intuitive.
After all, sometimes I’d feel a deep sadness. Maybe an anger. Maybe shame. Delight and joy. Excitement. It could be anything. And yet when I put in music that completely honored the emotion I was experiencing, I also felt peace.
The other emotions didn’t disappear. I didn’t stop feeling sad or angry. What changed was that instead of rejecting my sadness or anger, I was at peace with it…
And that made all the difference.
Your Partner In Transformation,
Chris Cade
Liberate Your Life
P.S. The amazing thing about accepting our negative thoughts and emotions is that when you do it, when you truly accept them, they naturally transform into a form of empowerment.
