In our life, we all have both blessings and problems. Unfortunately, we often tend to fixate on our problems, which may arise due to our deficiencies and defects or our adversities and adversaries. By such fixation, we subject ourselves to an endless flood of negative thoughts.
To cultivate positivity, we need to consciously shift our focus from our problems to our blessings. And we all have blessings, which we can recognize if we consciously look for them and regularly appreciate them.
However, focusing on our blessings by itself may not counter our negativity. Why not? Due to our comparing mentality, whose overreach can extend even into our blessings. We may start comparing our blessings with others’ blessings. Even if we have some talent such as singing ability or some resource such as wealth, we may still obsess over someone who has that talent or ability more than us. By such fixation, we may feel that our blessings are insufficient – or even insignificant. Thus even thinking of our blessings can end up becoming another problematic thought
To counter such problematic thinking, we need to make our focus more specific: not just on our blessings, but on what we do with our blessings. Gita wisdom explains that our blessings are not meant for our own aggrandizement through gaining fame, wealth and so forth; they are meant to be shared for everyone’s benefit and enrichment.
When we strive to serve others with whatever resources or abilities we are blessed with, that attitude of service will become a source of fulfillment for us, independent of the size of the blessing. This is one time-tested way to find inner contentment, as recommended in the Bhagavad-gita verse about mental discipline (17.16). Indeed, to have a consciousness that aspires to share its blessings is itself a blessing..
One-sentence summary:
To have blessings is good; to appreciate our blessings is better; to aspire to share our blessings is the best.
Think it over:
- How may we open ourselves to a constant flood of negativity?
- How may even thinking of our blessings be a problematic thought?
- What kind of thinking will provide us fulfillment?
***
17.16: And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
Great read. Thank you
Thank you.