The Good, The Bad and the Who Cares.

"...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
                                                                                     Hamlet (Shakespeare)

Did you know we have a natural bias toward the negative? 

Evolutionary biology suggests that this trait could have become part of biology because our chance of survival increases when we are aware of potential dangers.  Positive thoughts feel good and have health benefits, but focusing on the magnificence of a rhino isn't going to do much, if that rhino is charging right at us.

Does that mean that it's better to focus on our negative thoughts?  No, and yes.  It depends.... both have their place.  If the rhino is charging at you, then yes, consider the worst and take action. 

But, if the rhino isn't charging at you, the trick may be loosing the labels of "good" and "bad" and getting to the truth of the thought.  Labeling something "good" or "bad" puts an end to the exploration.  It's a final conclusion.  It doesn't leave room for other possibilities like:

- Many things have both good and bad in them
- Many thoughts are assumptions that may not even be true and need to be tested
- Many thoughts aren't even yours, but something you learned from others or society and just believed

So instead of "good" or "bad", I always feel the better questions are:

- supportive or not supportive?
- to what is this thought supporting?
- Freeing or binding?

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