“Your Emotions Are The Slaves To Your Thoughts, And You Are The Slave To Your Emotions.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
Recently, I read the fantastic book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I couldn’t have picked a better title to read at this time in my life and Elizabeth’s journey of self discovery hit home for me in a lot of ways. This particular quote struck a chord of realization and a long and healing thought process. What we think about is what we feel. We hear it said so much: “Think positive.” Of course, it’s easier said than done, but it’s not impossible. What I’ve learned is that thinking positive is not something that comes naturally after years and years of thinking negative. It’s something, like anything else, that needs to be put into practice. The more we choose to think about the things that make us happy and upbeat, the more things will change around us. It’s all about perspective that starts with a thought.
In every situation, search for the opportunity that makes it beneficial because even if it may not seem like it, there always is one. An opportunity for growth and learning can be found in any event no matter how big or small or happy or sad. When I lost my beloved pet, Bailey last year, I started out focusing on the sadness and emptiness I felt within my heart. I concentrated on the what if’s and constantly laid a guilt trip on myself about a situation I had no control over. I was miserable. It’s normal to feel such sadness when you lose someone you love. This is what grief is, but to hold onto those feelings and to focus on things we could have or should have done is useless. These thoughts will be endless and will only lead to sick feelings that send us into a spiral of never ending darkness and a life full of pointless breaths in a cruel world. That depression we feel is a result of us becoming a slave to our hopeless thoughts. These feelings did not bring my Bailey back and I got to a point where I decided I would choose to focus on all the happy memories we made together instead of the sad ending. His life wasn’t about the moment he was born or the moment he passed on. His life was about all the moments in between and these were moments filled with happiness, comfort and an unconditional love that could never be replaced. I chose to celebrate his life rather than mourn it.
No matter what happens to you in life, understand your thoughts and emotions are two of the few things you have control over. Take advantage of this. Work hard at it. Retrain your brain and have patience. If you’re a slave to your emotions, make them great ones. Fill yourself with self-love and gratitude. Look in the mirror when you’re feeling this and you’ll notice a glow. It’s the glow of positive thinking and unique beauty. There’s nothing more beautiful than being genuinely happy. Thoughts become things, so think about the best things and smile. As an animal, Bailey found the joy in every day and now I find the joy in every thought about him. Glow & shine bright! xo
