What We Don't Want

LOA has an interesting concept to consider in what we don't want.  They say that we often think about what we don't want and wonder why it shows up over and over again.  If we attract what we think, then the law of attraction doesn't care whether we perceive something to be good or bad, or whether we don't want it or whether we do want it.  It's responding to whatever we are thinking.  It's a law of nature, impersonal, not seeing good or bad, just giving you simply what you think about.  The law of attraction is working whether you understand it or not.

So, if we are thinking "I don't want to be late" for example, we are attracting the thought of being late.  Or,

I don't have enough time.
I don't have enough energy.
I don't have enough money.
I don't have enough talent.
I don't have enough friends.
I don't have enough patience.
I don't want to be fat.
I don't want to fail.
I don't think I'm smart enough.
I don't think I'm good enough.
I don't...
I don't....
I don't....

President Thomas S. Monson said, "We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought..." 

So of course "what we don't want" can seep over into our thoughts about others.  We can think things like:

He's really bugging me.
She makes me so mad.
Why is that person so rude?
Why does he expect so much out of me?

Or, as parents, especially with young children, we tend to point out all the "nos" as we try to steer them clear of dangers and troubles and mischief.  Can we incorporate more "yeses" into our conversations? 

I came across an interesting article, by Paul H. Dunn in the May 1987 Ensign entitled "By Faith and Hope, All Things are Fulfilled."

He talks about how we all need to develop lenses of vision that helps us see the positives instead of the negatives, thus making it possible to perform miracles. 

He said, "Why is it that as humans we tend to emphasize the negative when there is so much to be positive about? We not only constantly criticize our children and each other, find fault, are very judgmental, and often seek out and build up people’s weaknesses and failings rather than their strengths and successes, but in our own personal life-styles there are those of us who are incessant, chronic worriers. We worry about all the negative things that could happen, but usually don’t, rather than positively trying to face problems with some amount of faith and hope of success.  In our society, for some reason, we seem to dwell on the bizarre, the tragic, the profane, and the evils of our day. So often the newspapers and television reports center attention around the negative aspects of life: teenage suicides, drugs, AIDS, murders, infidelities, dishonesty, and a host of other social ills."

He said many of us fill our days with guilt because of the pressure of trying to accomplish everything we think is necessary and to be perfect right now...negative attitudes affect us in that way...consuming us with guilt and self-destructive thoughts.

He said that in many ways life is serious, and "we can’t help but worry sometimes; there are and always will be never-ending negatives existing all around us which must be faced, dealt with, and solved. But I wonder if the constant bombardment of dilemmas and challenges and the often seemingly hopeless situations, both personal and nationwide, don’t frustrate, discourage, and depress us sometimes to the point where our minds and attitudes are distracted from the very principles that would allow us to rise above the negative and find the positive answers we need."

He said we find many of our answers in the Book of Mormon and gave an example from the prophet Ether who said,

“By faith all things are fulfilled—    Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God”  (Ether 12:3-4)

Elder Dunn said, "Throughout the whole of this marvelous chapter we are taught the wonders accomplished by faith, love, and hope. It seems to me that dwelling on negative thoughts and approaches is, in fact, working directly opposite of hope, faith, and trust—in the Lord, ourselves, and others—and causes continual feelings of gloom, while the positive lifts and buoys us up, encourages us to forge ahead, and is an attitude that can be developed, a habit that we can cultivate."

I truly feel that is the key right there...develop and cultivate the positive--work at it persistently, bits and pieces at a time that will add up to tremendous accomplishments over time.

"As critical and judgmental as we often must be, as much as we will have to correct, as truly as we must face unpleasant realities all of our days, let us recognize and praise the thousands of beauties of life around us; the many wonderful examples of virtuous living; the strengths and the courage of so many souls; the exceptional talents and achievements of our family members, neighbors, and associates; the countless blessings that we have been given."

Let us follow the example of Jesus Christ, who came to lift us up, not put us down.