Discrimination and Willpower

by Smt. Susmita Devi

I remember the saying - "If you don't like something, change it” and “If you can't change it, change the way you think about it." The fundamental essence between the two previous quotes is that we actually can change our mindset - throughout life as we mature in our understanding of the fact, mind is not a static phenomena. It can be adjusted to life’s circumstances.
 

One may interact with negative people daily, be they friends, family members, a partner, or a colleague.  You love them, you care about them, you can't just cut them out of your life - but they are negative, and their negativity is eating away your peace of mind. What can you do?

The best way of dealing with life's challenges is to take a good look at oneself and take responsibility for what we think, feel and do. Carl Jung wrote: "Everything that annoys us in others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves."

Make sure you are taking responsibility for your feelings and mood. Don't go complaining that other people's negativity is affecting you, because it will only create more negativity. Take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings and see what you can do to make yourself feel better and change the existing situation.

The matter of taking responsibility for one’s thought pattern is also needed when one decides to step on a spiritual path.  Don’t forget, that the inherent ‘you’ is not a stagnant phenomenon. The thought pattern dominates according to one’s thought model. It is actually amazing how much it can be manipulated through practice of discrimination and will-power.

The rather limited knowledge of human nature one has at the outset, the harder the work to change from negative impressions to positive ones.  One may find that one radiates misery to the environment - and that part of the negative energy surrounding you in fact, partly impacts others perception of you.

There are a few rules which need attention in order to create transformation in one's mindset:

• Give up the need to complain (spread of negative vibrations)
• Realize that similarity attracts (by giving up complaints one sends out positive vibrations instead of negative ones)
• Don't believe everything you think (mind can be devious as it wants to  control our thought patterns
• Focus

"Whoever has limited knowledge of human nature and seeks happiness by changing everything but his own attitude, will waste his life in futile efforts." -  Samuel Johnson

Look closely at the negative people in your life. Are you conscious about how they impact your thought pattern?  Is what they are doing and saying really that bad or is your brain playing games with you? To discriminate between one’s own attitude and imported attitudes is a hard thing to learn and has to be consciously practiced.

The brain, per se, is configured to look for trouble and does so more easily than finding positive aspects. Ask yourself if you NEED to listen to, or feel negativity or if you WANT to. The difference is titanic indeed.

If the positive want is strong, then a transformation may take place over time...yield harmony in the mind and influence the behavior pattern in a positive direction. Sadguru Sri Sri Babathakur repeatedly reminded His followers of the same by saying, that if thought patterns are positive, the reciprocity will be the same, and in the end will result in harmony.  One may, in addition, develop one’s power of discrimination by reflecting on thoughts and behavior manifest in one’s life.

So, to sum up, one must accept - and learn - to be accountable for ones thoughts, expressions and conduct instead of feeling victimized and think ...they (anyone in one’s environment) ruin my energy and oomph.  None can do that once the realization dawns that one has an inherent capability (with a bit of practice) to direct thoughts and behavior in a lucid and positive direction which, by the way is contagious.  So, choose either contentment or misery.  Wayne W. Dyer emphasized that one should never underestimate one's power to change oneself and never overestimate the inherent power to change others. Another method is to become aware of one’s own darkness so as to better deal with the obscurity of others.