Learn How to Deflate a Negativity Tornado

In one of the recent Weekly Wisdoms for LIFE, I highlighted an excerpt from the book about Detachment, or the art of letting go. Today in this post, I want to help you understand how it applies to your LIFE.

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about divorce. She went through a horrendous process, in fact is still knee deep in the trench of marital dismemberment, and she is consumed by hatred, vengeance, bitter pettiness and maliciousness. She is not interested in pulling herself out of the trenches; she has built her identity around being a victim and is lashing out with every ounce of energy she has. Sitting down with her was like eating lunch with a negative tornado.

Then, I reflect on another friend of mine, one of my yoga students, who is the epitome of grace under pressure. He has been fighting a gruelling divorce for several years now and despite the mental, physical, financial and emotional stress this process has placed on him, he refuses to give into the dark side. He makes every effort to rise above the pettiness and bitterness, and approaches the challenge with humility and humour. He is a beautiful spirit.

So I ask you as the reader, what is the difference between these two people? Both have had horrible circumstances thrust into their lives, both have mired in the depths of divorce—and both divorces were and still are equally as difficult—yet their outlooks are completely different.

The difference is that my yoga student learned long ago that he didn’t want to carry the negative albatross around his neck anymore and made a choice to leave the negativity behind. He chose to let it go; he chose detachment. Which, as I mentioned in the previous post, is not a nonchalant, or cold hearted attitude, it is a conscious decision to rise above negative feelings, thoughts and actions. It is a higher perspective, one of wisdom, where we realize that holding onto negativity robs us of our energy, causes dis-ease in the body, mind, and spirit and doesn’t feel good!

In any given situation, if we make the choice to let the negativity go, we reinvigorate our energy, we release stress, which helps our body, mind, and spirit heal, and we feel better, much better!

It may seem difficult to fathom, when we are knee deep in the mire of negativity, that pulling ourselves out of it hinges on a choice, a simple choice to leave it all behind. But what do you have to lose by trying? Just an albatross and a lot of negative baggage.

Let it all go, and live the LIFE you’ve always wanted.

In gratitude,

Marissa