It’s summer in Canada and the sound of lawnmowers fills the air. Everywhere I look in my neighborhood people are outside enjoying the warmer weather. At any time of the week I can see individuals planting flowers, weeding and manicuring their front and backyards. It’s amazing how much love and care we put into our gardens in order to be comfortable in our surroundings; yet when was the last time you thought about tending and nurturing your mental and emotional garden in order to become comfortable within yourself and enjoy your life.

Taking care of yourself and living a peaceful and happy life is very much like tending a garden. What you reap is what you sow. It’s all about how you see or perceive situations, others and yourself. Positive perceptions or thoughts make you feel good and help you to bloom in the areas of life you remain upbeat in. Negative thoughts are like weeds, they eat up the goodness and if they persist they reduce the existing quality of your life.

While you can’t control situations outside of yourself and other people you can control your thoughts, your words and your actions. The most important of these is your thoughts because how you think about something is a choice. If you don’t like a perception choose to look at it from another point of view.

Here are some tools for turning your thoughts around:

1. Are things really what they appear to be? Your mind has a funny way of trying to make sense of things. All it really does is go to everything you have ever experienced in the past and comes to a conclusion. That doesn’t mean that it’s correct. Ask yourself if there are possibly any other answers than what you presently perceive. If you’re being honest with yourself then the answer to that question is millions. Anything is possible. Set your mind a positive conclusion.
2. Do you feel insulted by someone? Are you sure you’re taking their meaning correctly? Simply ask what they mean rather then just believing they’re being rude or insulting. If their answer is negative remind yourself that they this is the way they perceive things and that has nothing to do with you, it’s all about them. If someone is being all out insulting and it can’t be mistaken then remember that people only get that way when they are hurt or feel they’re being attacked, again it has nothing to do with you. Don’t let them get to you – taking on their garbage is a choice. Let them take out their own trash.
3. Look for the gift. The Universe hasn’t sent you a situation that won’t better your life in some way or another, whether you can presently see it or not. It’s absolutely true that when one door closes another one opens, even if it takes a bit of time. Work very hard at avoiding worry. When you worry you are making up a story about what may happen, the fact of the matter is that it hasn’t happened and your imagination is getting carried away in a negative manner. It’s a trap. Focus on possible positive outcomes.
4. Be true to yourself. Say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no or else you will end up filled with resentment.
5. Focus on something positive. Sometimes you may just feel blue or down without any apparent reason. Do something you love that makes you feel good. Remembering an event that brought you joy or made you laugh is a great thing to think about.
6. Listen to your inner chatter. Don’t berate yourself or put yourself down. Everyone is good at something and has good qualities – this means you. Make a list of these and look at it often.

Having peace of mind and being joyful is your birthright. No one was put on earth to suffer and you only suffer by our own hands. No one can make you feel anything; your thoughts are what create your feelings. If you don’t believe me try this, think of a situation that made you happy. I bet you are feeling good. Now think of a circumstance where you were angry. Is all that anger just welling back up? Go back to the happy thought. Whether you are in a situation or imagining it makes no difference. That’s how powerful your thoughts are.

Take the beautiful scenic route, plant positive seeds of happiness and watch your life grow and bloom, you deserve it.