I recently started reading Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty and I’ve been hooked from page 1. I’m only on page 28 and, just about every page has an action step that resonates with me. Wow, my self-improvement list is getting longer each day!
Speaking of self-improvement, this morning, I’m trying to get in my reading goal of 30 pages a day (while I’m also thinking of all the other things I “should” be doing and compiling a list of all the things that randomly pop into my head.) And now I’ve started to write this blog because I’m thinking this is a good topic to share with the Isn’t She Amazing tribe.
Hum, maybe I should have started my day with a self-improvement mediation for focused thinking!
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I am currently reading the chapter on negativity, and it is giving me a lot to think about. Jay has identified seven types of negative people but what resonated with me is the 25/75 principle, which is for every negative person that you have in your life, surround yourself with three positive people.
The “negative people” categories identified in the book are complainers, cancellers, casualties, critics, commanders, competitors, or controllers. I like to think of myself as a positive person, but I have been known to complain (really, who doesn’t complain occasionally. 😊) .
I won’t go into the details of these categories because what really jumped out of me was that to counteract our natural negative thinking, we should focus on spending time with people that uplift you and help you grow.
My father-in-law used to say, “Show me your company and I’ll tell you who you are.” If we are surrounded by negativity, we will start to be negative because it’s human nature to try and fit in with the crowd.
In Jay’s words, “negativity is a trait, not someone’s identity. A person’s true nature can be obscured by the clouds, but, like the sun, it is always there.” I LOVE THIS! I like to believe people (will the majority, unless you are a serial killer or drug lord) are good but sometimes we focus on what isn’t working rather than what is working.
To counteract this negativity, Jay (now I’m referring to him as someone I actually know.) suggests you do something uplifting with the people in your life and to focus on not just spending time with them but growing with them. That is AWESOME! Take a cooking class, a workshop, go on a hike, visit a museum, take an art class, read a book, and discuss it, get involved with your church, play pickleball, take a walk, a yoga class. The possibilities are endless!
Start a Sangha, which is the word for “community and suggests a refuge where people serve and inspire one another.“ Mine and Marianne’s goal is to start an Isn’t She Amazing (ISA) Sangha, but you can also start one with your personal tribe!
Rather than focusing on the negative let’s LIVE our BEST life for the REST of our life by interacting in ways that we inspire each other. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for ideas on how to do this and plan to attend one of our events as we build the ISA Sangha together.
Action Step: Identify someone in your life that gives you negative energy and plan to spend some time with them doing something together that is inspiring and helps you both grow or start a list of the people you would like in your Sangha.
