Would you like a side of optimism with your ham, Sir?

Think about the conversations that take place in your home - while working through the day, chatting at night, or around your supper table.  No really, stop and think about them.  Got it?  Ok, good...moving ahead.  What kind of subjects do you discuss?  Are they about what you did that day?  Is it about how your lawn needs mowed?  If so, that's great.  It's good to talk about what each person did that day, and your lawn really does need mowed (Well, maybe it doesn't if you like pretending you're in the wilds of the Amazon jungle...).

But...

Too many times we find that we've fallen into the Negativity Pit.  What is that, you may ask?  Well, the Negativity Pit is where you find your conversations centered around negative subjects, or sometimes positive subjects in negative ways.  The first is fairly obvious, but the second is maybe less so. 

Maybe you're talking about child discipline and how hardly anybody does it at all, much less does it right.  Or about how nobody dresses modestly anymore (very commonly in tones that seem to say "nobody has ever dressed modestly, nobody is dressing modestly, and nobody ever will dress modestly!").  Those are just examples...And I'm not saying that those things aren't needed, because they're needed very much.  (It is possible to discuss those subjects in a positive light -  try it!)    It's just that it's very easy to fall into the negative trap.  You talk about problems in your neighborhood, something you saw on facebook that bothered you to no end, and on and on it goes ~ You are in the Negativity Pit.  Are you really?

There's hope!

Day One:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  If you're tempted to let one slip, run around the house once.

Day Two:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  Tape up relevant scriptures on your bathroom mirror, or other places where they can be easily seen.  If you're tempted to open your mouth with a negative comment, run around the house twice.  

Day Three:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  Along with reading your scriptures you taped up the day before, write down or say 10 truly positive things throughout the day.  (No cheating here!!! Example:  "Yaaaaay! I'm suuuure glaaaad we get to wash these miiiillions of dishes from suuuuppeeer!)  If you slip and say something negative, run around the house forever.

These are unhealthy and ungodly habits that we shouldn't be guilty of.  However, don't give up and think you'll never be able to claw your way to higher ground!

We can find joy and happiness in every day if we look for it!

                               *****

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

~Psalms 118:24