IGNORE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND SHIFT YOUR FOCUS TO THE POSITIVES

We create maps of people and want them to fit into our maps. When they don’t behave as per our liking, we get disturbed. We want to control them, and failing to do so makes us angry, in turn creating a series of negative thoughts that deplete our inner power.

We have to understand that all people are different, have different perspectives and different choices. We can’t expect others to approve of our choices. Therefore, emphasis should be to change ourselves and control our thinking.

While I was at school, I used to go to a nearby park to study as the atmosphere at home was not suitable for studies. Moreover, in those days coolers and air conditions were not as common as they are now. While at the park, there was a particular crow that would always disturb me with its caws. The more I tried to hush it away, the more determined it appeared. I learnt to ignore it, and slowly its cawing was no longer a disturbance. However, one fine day the crow stopped coming, and then I realised that I was missing him.

The cawing of the crow was annoying but it was not the bird’s fault.

So what I did was to unknowingly focus on the positive aspect of having the good company of the crow. Likewise, we should all focus on the positive aspects of people around us, rather than fret over the negatives. (Inner Voice comprises contributions from our readers The views expressed are personal) innervoice@hindustantimes.com