Don’t Dwell – Be Well!
©Allen Merritt (2015)
Let’s talk about dwelling, the kind of place you physically, spiritually and mentally live in if you’re not careful. No, I’m not speaking of a literal house (a noun). I refer to dwelling as a continual living or lingering in a particular state of mind (a verb). This can be either negative or positive. Either way, it is an action we can choose to avoid.
©Allen Merritt (2015)
Let’s talk about dwelling, the kind of place you physically, spiritually and mentally live in if you’re not careful. No, I’m not speaking of a literal house (a noun). I refer to dwelling as a continual living or lingering in a particular state of mind (a verb). This can be either negative or positive. Either way, it is an action we can choose to avoid.
Dwelling on something; those times when your mind is
on overload, actively thinking all the time, but you can’t get something off
your mind or out of your head. It could be anything: a catchy tune, a problem
or all those crazy drivers out on the roadway.
If you’re like me, this happens from time to time. I
find I have to take a deep breath, recognize it and be aware of it before I can
begin the steps toward finding a positive spin.
For example, yesterday I took a quick 4-hour drive
to make an appointment. Delays along the roadway began to eat up my travel time
(accidents, road construction, other drivers, etc.) Now, I allowed extra time
for this, but after a while I felt I would cut it close. All I could do was chug
along and hope for the best for an on time arrival.
I sighed a lot, recalculated my time and distance
and considered possible short cuts. I knew I would make it, but it would be
with little time to spare. And, that is exactly what happened. I arrived just
before my appointment time only to sit there and wait another 15-20 minutes. It’s
funny how things work out.
Interestingly, on my way back I had just as many
delays. Crazy drivers were everywhere. It was a bit tense and nerve wracking. It’s
hard not to sit there in your car and dwell on the situation bumper to bumper.
Am
I going to make it on time?
Hey!
Use your turn signal!
I
just want to get home.
If we’re not careful, the daily barrage of negative
(or uncontrollable circumstances) can take over and get the best of us.
Lingering too long in the past is the same as dwelling on the past. In the end,
you’re exhausted and tense. What's the point in that!
Throughout my experience, I kept looking for ways to throw some positivity on
the situation. Ultimately, I was laughing because I was allowing my frustration
to turn into creativity in the car by coming up with my own little stand-up comedy routine about driving in heavy traffic with all kinds of wacky drivers,
which is a whole other blog in and of itself!
Needless-to-say, I was happy to laugh a little and get home safe and
sound.
So my positive note for the week is “Don’t Dwell” on
things. Acknowledge them and then move on from them. Otherwise, they zap your
energy and happiness. Instead, be well. Think of dropping the ‘D’ from ‘Dwell’
or making it silent. Then you are looking at “Well” or wellness. That should be
the focus.
Let this be our mantra for the week: Don’t Dwell – Be Well~!
Go ahead. Say it aloud and repeat it as necessary.
Don’t Dwell – Be Well~!
Don’t Dwell – Be Well~!
Don’t Dwell – Be Well~!
And on another positive note, check out this little article
offering five ways to stop dwelling on things.
And, if you ARE going to dwell on something, dwell
on positivity and happiness.
Cheers!
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