A friend of mine was mentioning over holiday vacation how they believed that people are inherently out to "screw you." I thought about this for a second before telling them that they're obviously hanging around the wrong kinds of people! It is tempting to lean toward the negative or the angry, I know that. It's the most common means of self-preservation. But it's also the most likely to hold you back in life.
I go to this wonderful hippie church that believes in doing everything you can to smack the human ego down to size, because our egos get in the way of so much accomplishment. Whether we're secretly wishing for the downfall of others, or focusing on the temporal gratification of being "best" or "number one", it just pulls the focus away from all the things that really make happiness have any longevity.
I believe very strongly in the karmic balance system. And if you put out the negative, or if you anticipate it over good, that's what you'll get. In fact, I have to stop myself from a knee-jerk negative reaction just as much as the next guy. It's HARD! It's a re-training of your brain. But people can sense it, they can tell that you don't have ill will, that you'll think kindly of them first before anything else. It makes a difference in ways you can't even imagine.
On the other hand, I've also encountered folks who are really uncomfortable with optimism, with putting all the focus on the desired outcome and deflecting everything else. I'm not completely sure of the reasons, but it sure does make me sad.
So, the purpose for this post, I suppose, is just to remind everyone I love to expect the best in people... and if it's not what you get, give them another chance. Because most of the time, the only thing standing between an enemy and a friend is lack of honest communication.
Love to all,
Jen
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