Pluses Over Minuses

I did this Oprah meditation challenge over the past three weeks. A lot of it centered on the messages that we tell ourselves about ourselves. Usually those messages are beliefs that we take in as truths and absolutes. It's so tricky because these negative beliefs are so insidious and get into our psyche without us totally realizing it. They just infiltrate our way of thinking. I think about my niece and nephews, who I spoke with today over Skype, and I can already see the seeds of negative thought they're receiving. I suppose it can't be helped. I have a friend who's trying to sanitize her daughter from every bit of racial prejudice, no matter how intentional. It strikes me as acute white guilt. So these negative thoughts which have been building in me and largely have gone unnoticed float around. I get down on myself in ways that were unchecked when I was growing up because no one was policing my parents and they certainly were not policing themselves.

I realize that a lot of the beliefs I have about myself can be flipped around to exhibit something positive. There was a lot of talk of this in the Oprah meditation. Part of seeing the pluses over the minuses in life has to do with affirmation and gratitude. If you're thankful for the things that have happened in your life, it becomes less of a habit to think negatively. Because focusing on gratitude is an active way to be positive. So here are some pluses that I've made from minuses. I'm not going to mention the minuses--not to erase their existence--but they'll be apparent.

The best is yet to come.
I am a deeper person because the journey to myself has taken longer.
I have written 1781 pages so far this year (not including blog posts).
I write something that contributes every day.
I have time to think.
I am in control of my own choices.
The past four years have changed my life and made me a completely different person.
The time spent caring for my father was the best way to spend a year of my life.
Everything has brought me here.
I have never made a mistake.

I am grateful for the ability to make pluses from minuses, without ignoring the minuses.
I am grateful for air to breathe.
I am grateful for the time I spent in silence today.
I am grateful for the love in my life.
I am grateful for the groups of friends I have.
I am grateful for what I know.
I am grateful to be reading M Train by Patti Smith.
I am grateful for good words.