Food for Thought

This morning I was out working in my garden.  It's one of my favorite spaces.  My thoughts and plants grow simultaneously as I work.

Today my thoughts were caught up on the ability to grow vegetables vs. weeds.  I try, and try, and try, to get my cucumbers to grow.  But I have yet to produce a good cucumber plant.  They very same night that they sprout up, they are gobbled up by ravenous creeping things.

As for the weeds, I put absolutely no effort in to growing them, in fact I put a lot of effort in to preventing them, and yet they still seem to pop up over night and thrive.  They can grow where there is no water.  They grow in the rocks.  They grow anywhere and everywhere. 

Why is it SO hard to be successful at growing and harvesting good crops, yet so easy to grow weeds? 

I want to relate this to our thoughts.  The ability to be happy and have good thoughts takes constant work.  You must be proactive.  The moment you relent negativity flourishes.

The one thing I noticed in the garden was that the weeds just sprout up on their own. Plants, however need to be purchased and planted.  It's the same with our thoughts.  Negative thoughts pop into our head all the time.  They just do.  They are random and rampant. 

Positive thoughts also have to be "purchased" and "planted".  By being purchased I mean the desire has to be there.  We need to want it. We have to make that choice.  Then we need to plant the seed of positivity.  There are many ways we can do this; looking on the bright side, giving people the benefit of the doubt,  choosing to smile instead of frown. 

Instead of nurturing the negative, we need to start nourishing the positive and then let it bloom. 

If a weed can grow in uncultivated soil, or even rock, then think of how well it would grow if it were watered and maintained.  It is the same with negativity.  We have to push out those negative thoughts as they arise, and not give them a chance to root. 

Our society has taken a liking to finding fault, and sharing it with the world.  We like to fuel the fire of negativity. 

Pointing fingers has no benefits. 

Putting others down gets you no where. 

It just multiples misery. 

But I know that kindness heals.  Our choices matter, and if we choose kindness we can make a difference.  We can teach others by example.  And if nothing else, we will be happier.  So my challenge to you is to give positivity a try.  Cultivate kindness.  See the difference it makes in your life.  Then please share your experience.  You can share it with me at focusedonthepositive@gmail.com and I'd be happy to post it on the blog.  I will be trying my best as well.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Good luck!


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