What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0169

8401.  Our brain is wired to pick up negativity faster than positivity in any situation.  This has been a direct result of evolution, where our ancestors were neurologically conditioned to look for dangers or risks around them as the result of a deep-rooted survival mentality.  Everything that our ancestors did would revolve around their fears related to food, shelter and safety.  This is exactly why we are wired to sense the threat and negativity around us faster than the positives;

8402.  Consciously commit to avoiding the negative and focusing only on the positive;

8403.  The roast lamb pie from Kiwi Kuisine (KiwiKuisine.com) (at the Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market) is tasty;

8404.  Meditation is one of the best ways of conquering your internal dialogue;

8405.  Our minds are occupied by at least 70,000-80,000 individual thoughts per day;

8406.  Think of your post-meditation mind as a highly fertile ground, where you can plant just about any seeds for cultivating positive and receptive thoughts and dialogues;

8407.  Only when we bring about a sense of mental clarity can we condition the mind to override negative feelings or train the mind to think positive thoughts through repetition;

8408.  Affirmations are powerful, positive ways to reframe the subconscious mind;

8409.  Affirmations or positive statements allow us to replace negative thoughts with more positive or constructive thoughts;

8410.  Affirmations replace old and obsolete thoughts with fresher and more inspiring thoughts that allow the subconscious to drive our actions in the same direction;

8411.  Our speech, actions and behavior are a direct result of our internal dialogue.  They support or are an extension of the conversations that take place within us;

8412.  Our actions are a result of our thoughts, but it also works the other way around;

8413.  When you are more mindful of your speech and action, you pave the way for a refined, meaningful and positive internal dialogue.  Being conscious allows you to focus on behavior that invariably results in positive afterthoughts;

8414.  Separate your inner critic from you by giving it a distinct name and persona.  It isn’t a part of who or what you are.  It is simply a perspective from another person’s point of view.  It isn’t who you are or what you think about yourself;

8415.  When you create a psychological entity by speaking and giving the inner critic a second or third person, you reduce negative feelings of stress and anxiety.  It gives you the power to manage and regulate emotions while reducing discomfort;

8416.  The first step towards dealing with internal conflict is to identify that there is a situation of internal conflict;

8417.  One of the worst ways to resolve an internal conflict is trying to pretend that there is no conflict;

8418.  Accept conflict and find ways to deal with it;

8419.  Every time you experience a clash between emotions, consider the situation for a moment and notice your feelings.  Be mindful of the physical sensations experienced while feeling the emotion;

8420.  Once you identify the physiological feelings, it is easy to associate it with an emotion or conflict.  Once you have identified the emotion, give it a name.  Think about how the emotion is interfering with your daily life;

8421.  Choose a healthy way to release the conflict until you find a solution.  This will give you a good grip on your conflict for the moment and make it subside until you have a clear solution;

8422.  Avoid feeling guilty about your emotions;

8423.  While we often think our thoughts are right, your emotions aren’t always wrong or irrational.  If anything, they are reliable indicators of how you think and feel about people and situations.  Don’t feel guilty about emotions that do not match your logical thoughts;

8424.  Feeling ashamed of emotions that are not in line with your thoughts only increases conflict;

8425.  Once you’ve made up your mind, there is no need to ruminate over every decision.  Second guessing only increases the intensity of the conflict;

8426.  (Bob) Dylan doesn’t allow photo(graph)s or videos at his concerts;

8427.  I can say (that) I’ve seen (Bob) Dylan (and His Band);

8428.  I can understand (maybe) 20% of what (Bob) Dylan says/sings;

8429.  (Bob) Dylan is very bluesy;

8430.  Stick to your values rather than being influenced by others;

8431.  Listening too much to people can create a conflict of emotions, beliefs and thoughts.  People will offer you advice or suggestions from their perspective, which may not be in agreement with your core beliefs and values;

8432.  Don’t pretend that you are not affected by these events.  You won’t be in a position to get over it if you pretend that it didn’t happen.  Try to acknowledge and allow yourself to feel everything that you felt in the past (and still free);

8433.  One of the best ways to deal with conflict is to write it down in explicit terms.  This way, you unload the unwanted conflict from the brain and dump it on paper, which can provide you with great relief.  The act of writing can give you complete self-understanding by viewing things from a different perspective, which helps in conflict resolution;

8434.  The best way to manage a painful past is to tell yourself that it can’t be changed now, accept it and change the way you perceive it;

8435.  We can either live in the past and ruin our present and future or we can choose to learn from the past and move on;

8436.  The past cannot be revisited, but perception about it can be changed;

8437.  Direct your efforts towards accepting the past and offering forgiveness to the ones who have hurt you.  You don’t do this for them; you do it for you own peace and well-being.  You give forgiveness to let go of the past and move on.  Feel the emotions you want to feel and then let go after a point;

8438.  Spend time with different people.  Spending time in the same setting with the same people where you experienced negative past emotions will only trigger more of the same reactions;

8439.  When you see other people’s vulnerabilities, you become more thankful for your blessings and learn to cope with your troubles;

8440.  Before going to bed, don’t spend valuable time reviewing anything negative that you don’t want to be reinforced in your subconscious because the subconscious is the most active when we are asleep.  Focus on positive and constructive thoughts just before going to bed rather than harboring hatred;

8441.  If you have had an argument or disagreement with someone, talk to them and clear the air before going to bed.  Focus on ending it on a positive note even if you don’t wish to associate with the person in the future;

8442.  Focus on being kind instead of being right;

8443.  Don’t actively seek occasions to be offended;

8444.  Think about how no one is perfect;

8445.  Wanting positive experience is a negative experience; accepting negative experience is a positive experience.  It’s what the philosopher Alan Watts used to refer to as “the backwards law,” the idea that the more you pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become as pursuing something only reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place.  The more you desperately want to be rich, the more poor and unworthy you feel regardless of how much money you actually make.  The more you desperately want to be sexy and desired, the uglier you come to see yourself regardless of your actual physical appearance.  The ore you desperately want to be happy and loved, the lonelier and more afraid you become regardless of those who surround you.  The more you want to be spiritually enlightened, the more self-centered and shallow you become in trying to get there;

8446.  Money is a means not a mission;

8447.  Sweet Fire Donna’s in (Old Town) Alexandria has $2.00 pulled chicken or pulled pork tacos every day after 10:00 PM;

8448.  The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves and not to twist them to fit our own image.  Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them;

8449.  Just because you love someone doesn’t mean s/he’s meant for you;

8450.  Everybody has tragedy in his/her life.  Everybody has tough things to overcome.  Everybody has his/her issues.  It's how you handle your issues that distinguishes you;