Give Rattlesnakes the Right of Way
A bulletin found in a local trail guide said, “Watch for snakes. This state park has a population of snakes of many varieties including Rattlers. If you encounter a snake, give it the right of way.”
I found myself repeatedly thinking about that comical yet profound warning. “If you encounter a snake, give it the right of way.” Would someone actually have pondered jumping in front of a poisonous Rattlesnake? Perhaps they considered stepping on the snake, just to see what might happen.
In truth, most people provoke snakes daily in the form of venomous negative thoughts. When we encounter negative thoughts and feelings, we are presented with an important choice: Feed the negative thought energy or let it go on its way.
Many of us are conditioned to feed negative thoughts on a daily basis. We think about something unpleasant that has or hasn’t happened and replay the image repeatedly in our minds. Each time we replay this “movie,” we relive the negative experience.
For example, did you ever worry about making a financial payment? Or perhaps you almost got in a car accident? Maybe someone said something you felt was inconsiderate, inappropriate, or downright rude? Ever have a really horrible meal and feel the restaurant should pay YOU to eat there?
Do you find yourself mentally rehashing the event later on that day or even several weeks later? We step on Rattlers all the time. Each time we do, we detract from our life experience.
You don’t need to completely eliminate negative thinking (although that is a worthy objective). Just don’t allow those negative thoughts to grow. Watch the negative thoughts and feelings arise. Allow them to be there and then just let them go. It’s simple to explain, but difficult to do as it takes practice and training.
Beware of Rattlers and give them the right of way.
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