6 tips on living life fully and without negativity

1. Learn to meditate
Meditation allows you to see what your mind is telling you and gives you the power to choose what you want to focus on. It builds a relationship with who you really are, beyond all the habits and beliefs of the mind. Sometimes we are able to fall gracefully into a state of complete focus, but many times we cannot. Basically this is because most of our life is lived in a scattered way. Our minds are constantly thinking, mostly about things that we have no control over. We are not present with what we are doing. So it is no surprise that when we want or need to focus our attention it is not always easy. Practicing what happens in our conscious awareness is necessary. Greek philosopher Aristotle said ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.’ This habit comes quick through meditation.
There are three things that help with meditation. Firstly, it involves absolutely no force of any kind. Interestingly, so many people try to clear their minds of thought when they meditate. The truth is that this is impossible. You have thoughts flowing through your mind because you are alive. The key to meditation is regaining control of your attention and changing your relationship with your thoughts and feelings, not suppressing the natural tendency of your mind! It becomes so much easier when you appreciate this.
Secondly, a teacher or coach is invaluable. Like learning any skill, a personal trainer helps smooth the way, making progression much faster. They stop you from reinventing the wheel and can answer all the questions you have, helping dispel doubts and keep you on track.
Thirdly, regular practice is necessary because your mind is very much like a muscle. Getting your focus in shape requires gentle persistence and application over time. But as the results are immediate and clear it’s a very motivating thing to practice. Every part of your life starts to benefit when you are there participating in it.


2. Be present and aware
Meditation helps with this, but start noticing when your mind wanders to another time and place. Through habit we are rarely in the same place as our bodies are, with our minds in other places and situations, constantly trying to change the past and control the future. Neither are possible, and we miss out on our lives that are right in front of us right now as well. Buddha said ‘Life can take place only in the present moment. If we lose the present moment, we lose life.’ Even people like businessman Donald Trump agree: ‘I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's were the fun is.’

3. Choose to appreciate
We have the ability to choose to appreciate or condemn (at least something) about every situation or every person we come into contact with. Its like the old choice between seeing the glass as half empty or half full. You can make the choice to be optimistic, and your body and awareness respond in kind. What you put your attention on grows, and what’s more, its our choice. The more you see the good in your life, the more it grows. Be active with your appreciation. Find things to appreciate about the people around you - your family, your friends, your colleagues, and strangers - shop keepers, taxi drivers, people on the street.

4. Be thankful
Related to the above is the power of gratitude. Quite simply you can’t complain and be thankful at the same time. To cultivate the power of gratitude, make a list of the 10 things that you are grateful for in your life. Review the list regularly and realise how much there is in your life. Don’t take anything for granted, especially the people closest to you. Remember to take a moment to see how much people do for you and you’ll never ignore how much goodness is in your life already. Say “thank you”. A call or a card is everything to those that receive it. 14th century German churchman Meister Eckhart once said “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was "Thank You", that would suffice.”

5. Watch complaining carefully
Complaining is the opposite of appreciation. Sometimes its necessary to blow off a little steam about something, but we always do this for far too long. Eckhart Tolle wrote that complaining “invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself a victim… Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally.” “All else is madness”. And as Jesus said too, ‘Judge not…’

6. Give
Giving is the most powerful way to change your state of being. Many large companies and business people already do this in terms of giving money and time to projects of their choosing. You will find that giving is the best way to get what you want. It works with everything. If you want more hugs, give hugs. If you want more understanding, be understanding. If you want more money, give money. If you want more knowledge, give knowledge.
Find the time and energy to give to others and you’ll find it revolutionary, especially if you are stuck in a rut. There is nothing like giving to take the attention off your problems and give you a wider, more complete perspective on life.