Stand Watch At Your Mind's Door

One of the most surprising things that we become aware of when we begin our meditation practice is the overwhelming number of negative thoughts that occupy our subconscious minds.
 

Since we are at our essence love, we must realize that these negative thoughts are seeds that have been planted in our mind by external sources.  In order to clear our mind of this negative energy, we must be mindful of its existence and ensure that we are not consciously or subconsciously leaving a door open through which these seeds can be planted.
 

The external sources that plant this negative energy could be negative people, news stories, television, movies, and music, among others. 
 

And, although these sources of negativity may seem harmless at the time of consumption, they in fact project negative imaging onto our subconscious mind and drain us of our creative energy.  We have only a finite amount of energy available to us each day. Thus, it is important that we expend this energy in achieving our most important goals.
 

To close our minds’ doors to negative energy, we must begin to identify the external sources that plant the seeds of negative thoughts. If we fail to close these doors by recognizing and cutting off our exposure to the sources of negative energy, the seeds of negativity will transform into negative habits.
 

One way to determine if we are cultivating our seeds of negative energy is to honestly ask ourselves: “Is this habit that I am developing, by watching this TV show or spending time with these people, helping or hurting my chances of living a life of love and joy?”

If the answer to this question is “hurting”, you must focus on reducing your exposure to these sources of negativity and thereby minimize the energy you expend on these habits. 
 

For example, I used to be a voracious newsreader, probably reading well over twenty breaking news articles each day. I may have been the smartest person in the room when it came to current events, but what was this use of energy doing for me in the long-term?  The truth is, it was not adding nearly as much value in my life as if I were reading about my goals and people who had achieved similar goals.
 

By diminishing our exposure to a source of negative energy by less than 5% each day (for example, by reading one fewer article each day in my situation), we can rid ourselves of our negative habit in 40 to 42 days or 6 weeks. 
 

We should only focus on breaking a few habits at a time. This will ensure that our energy is not spread too thin, and that we see the habit’s elimination through to completion. 
 

This process takes willpower. But, that power will grow each day that you stand up to these negative habits and make it known that they are no longer welcome.
 

The more fear-based negative habits you can let go of, the lighter and happier you will feel. And, with a clearer mind, you will be much more capable of identifying and pursuing your true purpose.