William James said, "Things are not as they are, but as we are." We really do see through the eyes of our own experience and each of our experiences is different, so in every moment, we see everything from the perspective of the mood we're in. It’s almost like we put on different glasses from moment to moment.
Have you noticed you can get in the habit of being in a bad mood? The good news is, if you can get into the habit of being in a bad 
mood, you can get into the habit of being in a good one! Habits are breakable and like any habit good or bad, it just takes desire to change.
Using a timer to get out of a bad mood
When you have a negative thought, if you don't get busy and call up positive thoughts, the negative thought will serve up more negative thoughts like a mental magnet. Misery loves company was probably originally written about negative thoughts.The sooner you can entertain positive thoughts, the quicker you can eliminate the negative thought and all its friends and get back to being happy.
In the past few days I have been mentally pulled from my routinely solid state of happiness and contentment. It doesn’t matter what the source of the discontent is. What matters is, for a time I allowed circumstances to control my habitual center of peace and joy. When that happens, that’s when a timer can come in handy. In those chaotic times when we are thrown out of our peace, if we can stop our mental and emotional free falls by setting a timer for 10 minutes of stillness for the purpose of breathing and regaining a positive direction of thought, peace will return.
My husband was present through my tunnel of annoyance over the last couple of days and when he’d look at me; there was always a question in his eyes: Are you back yet? When I woke up this morning all I wanted to do was replay the CD in my mind labeled “injustice,” but like the song, “It’s a Small World After all,” I wanted to spare myself the needless repetition of a thought that does not match my spirit, so I set my timer for 10 minutes, to pray and get myself back.
In that short period of time, I clearly realized I needed to walk. I had not walked for two days and I certainly did not want to do it with my heavy heart, but the walk was a transfusion. I got myself back. With it came clear thoughts, free of negativity and my body called for more water and a nap. Sleep, sweet sleep came and I was completely refreshed.
Things are not as they are, but as we are. We have all the power and when we stop and take time to reflect on that power we can move through our negative circumstances with grace and ease. We don’t have to get buried in avalanches of negative thinking, if we can remember to stop, be still and know that mighty in the midst of our chaos is peace and all is well.
Love,
Here's a blog I wrote to keep you perky through the holidays. Just click on
my home in the snow.
