Overcoming Negative Ideas

March 26, 2007

Negative thinking is a singularly weakening trap that imprisons many young people. 'I can't' is the mantra such people repeat. Their thoughts are woven around their weakness and failure rather than on their inherent strengths and success. By constantly focusing on the no-factor, or the cannot-factor, how many young, budding people are caught up in the mire of difficulties and problems that are anyway part of life! But such a negative outlook can be transformed into a positive and constructive force by following a few simple changes.

Ants have interesting lessons for all those who are infected with negative ideas and actions. Just a tiny ant can teach us mighty lessons in encountering life. Of course, everything in nature can give us a lesson.

The Ant philosophy has four lessons which run thus:

Lesson 1: The ants never quit whenever anybody stops them or they come across any hurdle. They climb over it, or find another way but never stop from marching forward. The lesson is 'never stop from completing the given work or from reaching the goal under any circumstances.'

Lesson 2: Do you know that the ants think winter all summer? Quite interesting! Why do they think like that? The answer is they gather their winter food in the middle of summer and do not complain about the seasonal changes. As one enjoys the sand and sun on the beach, he has to think of rocks in the water before diving into the sea. The lesson is to be realistic and also think ahead positively.

Lesson 3: Interestingly, the ant thinks of summer all winter. It sounds confusing and strange for us. During the winter the ant reminds itself that this will not last long and we'll soon be out of here. And at the first warm day they are out in the open and seeking adventure once again. Well, it may turn cold again; they just dive back into the closet and return another warm day. The lesson is stay positive at all times because there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Lesson 4: Do you know how much an ant can gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? The answer is, 'All that it can.'

In a nutshell the four-part ant-lesson is: 1) Never Give Up (2) Look Ahead (3) Stay Positive and (4) Do all you can and march on.

Self-discipline is most effective in overcoming negative ideas. One needs strong convictions to go through trials and tribulations with strength and meaning. In conclusion let us not forget that it is possible, through graded disciplines, to remove the layers of dirt of negativity that hide our divine nature.

Regards

Prasanna Kumar