I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.

-Mother Teresa

A challenge in my life is making sure I’m focused on what I’m for, not against. The energy we project when we are against something is very strong, and even more negative. This works against us internally and externally in a myriad of ways. First, negative energy is a magnet for more negative energy and actually repels positive energy. This will present itself in different ways in our personal lives. We may feel tired and worn out, find ourselves with health problem after health problem, and/or we attract negative people and situations into our lives.

We can think we are fighting for a cause, but the very energy we are putting out is against something else. When the causes are passionate cries for the betterment and safety of humanity, animals, and nature we sometimes get caught up in the energy of the people who are against the very thing we are for, we become apart of the problem, not the solution. I find I have to check in with myself often to make sure I have my energy going to what I am truly for in life. I have to ask myself a series of questions and watch how my voice, body, mind, and spirit are reacting to my behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Here are just some of the examples I tend to ask myself:

• Am I focused on what other people think of me? (Negative energy)
• Do I feel like I’m being blamed and having to prove myself? (Negative energy)
• Am I focused on what I don’t like that someone else is doing? (Negative energy)
• Do I feel exhausted when I’m volunteering my voice for a cause? (Negative Energy)
• Am I trying to make someone else wrong in order to be right? (Negative energy)
• Am I contributing to negativity through gossip? (Negative Energy)
• Am I clear on my boundaries for my own self-care? (Positive Energy)
• Do I communicate clearly on what is and is not acceptable behavior toward me? (Positive Energy)
• Are my thoughts, actions, and feelings energized by the causes I’m representing? (Positive energy)
• Am I treating myself with love and respect before I expect someone else to do it? (Positive Energy)
• How do I want to see humanity treat each other? (Positive Energy)
• Am I being the example of compassion and kindness that I want other people to follow? (Positive Energy)
• Am I speaking from a source of love or fear?
• Are my thoughts coming from a place of love or fear?
• Are my feelings projecting love for humanity or fear of humanity?

Now, this list can go on and on, but the point is I know I’m in a healthy place when I start paying close attention to what I’m doing and questioning my own thoughts. This can be a struggle for me especially when it comes things like:

• Respecting my own personal boundaries
• Representing women being true to their voices
• Putting attention on childhood development in schools
• Helping become more self-aware and promoting self-care
• Humans treating other humans with respect and dignity
• Respecting animals
• Respecting and connecting to nature

Here is the negative energy focus on all the items listed above:

• People walking all over me and lying about me.
• Feeling hatred towards men who mistreat women
• School testing is destroying our children
• Being against Big Pharma
• Hating people who aren’t accepting of others
• Being against animal cruelty
• We are destroying our planet

When I get worked up on any of the subjects listed above and some others, it is very easy for me to start focusing on the things I’m against. With a lot of self-realization though, I see the damage I do when I keep my focus on that mindset. I can see the good myself and others are trying to do fall on deaf ears. When we stay focused on the negative energy of what we are against. I see how it affects our minds, hearts, and actions toward others. Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, Buddha, Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, and so many others lived and/or live their lives according to what they want to represent in humanity. We know all their names. Their messages still ring through in our hearts today. These are my leaders. They remind me about being the person I want to be and not succumbing to fear based agenda. This is true for my personal life and matters that affect my community, country, and world.

I am for love, respect, and dignity of life. I pray that this leads my thoughts, feelings, and actions more than any of my fears. I know this all starts with how I treat myself. I can’t give what I don’t have. I will honor, love, and take care of myself, so that I may contribute the best of me to my family, friends, community, country, and world.

With Love and Gratitude,

Rachael Wolff ©2017