It was a normal day when I noticed something unusual outside my balcony, a barren site had some visitors, and surprisingly they were busy planting seeds. It was undeniably a beautiful site to watch, the thought of being able to see a beautiful garden after a few days was indeed thrilling. Thereafter, peeping outside the balcony to check on the germination was my primary task.  

Everything went well, until one day I noticed weeds making their way, overshadowing the beautiful plants. It looked like all the nutrition was going to the weeds and not to the plants, the fading of the plants was absolutely heartbreaking. That’s when the visitors came back with an axe to chop off the weeds. What a sense of relaxation that was. 

This instance made me think aloud. Aren’t we the same?? Are we not overshadowed by the weeds? 

The negative thoughts creep in so much that we end up giving total energy and nutrition to nurture it. The point is why do we nurture the weeds? Are we aware of what we are doing? 

Especially in this unprecedented state of COVID- 19, thoughts get nurtured however the million - dollar question is “Are you nurturing the seed or the weed”?

Few questions that will help us introspect:

• Do you often think about difficulties or failures
• Do you only  think about the negative news and sulk about it too much
• Do you see yourself stuck and unable to improve or move on
• Do you not see opportunities in anything
• Do you repel or restrict yourself too much

Once the introspection is done, it’s time to get into action. If it’s the seed that you have nurtured, pat your back and continue doing whatever you are doing. If it’s the weed, immediate attention is required.

While I was facing the same situation of getting into a negative zone, the ABC capsule helped me overcome the plight. The capsule comprises of the following components - 

Acknowledge - Release it 

When negative thoughts hit your brain, your emotions have a tough hold on them. Acknowledge the negative thought and release it slowly. Do not try to push it off, because it would definitely come back strong. Acknowledge that the weeds are coming back again and again, gently release it again. By doing this your mind opens up and is considerably relaxed. Gradually those thoughts can be replaced with beautiful seeds.

When the pandemic struck us, a lot changed, life style, work style, social life etc. However, releasing the negative thoughts and not thinking about it gradually helped me overcome the stress of the new normal.

Back – To Reality 

Negative thoughts could be either because of the upsetting past or the anxious future. This creates a sense of fear in all of us which prevent us from accepting the moment. This mental dilemma stop us from focusing on reality. By getting back to reality you will realize these thoughts are just the wandering ones and not the truth. In reality life has to go on. It’s all about shaping the reality the way you want. 

Being a facilitator, running classroom sessions was the only reality till mid-March, the fear factor did play its part and I slowly realized that I was falling prey to it. However, virtual sessions and great feedback from the participants is the new reality. It’s all about replacing the unwanted weed with a beautiful seed 

Catch Yourself – Replace your thoughts 

There are times when the morale is low, the feel of ‘unfair’ or ‘unjust’ creeps into the mind. It doesn’t take too long to get destructive. It’s all about catching yourself at the right time and thinking before you act. Using frustration and anger to drive positive action is definitely a good idea. In order to break the negativity you are trapped in, replacing your thoughts with constructive ones will help you embrace positive thinking. 

The lock down has brought in series of emotions in people’s life. The point is if you are able to catch yourself and replace your thoughts with beautiful seeds the output is definitely going to be boundless. Don’t get trapped, you are the one who can create a more positive you.

We must be observant over our thoughts, stop the negativity and be positive regardless of adversity. It’s not about winning or losing, it is always better to play the game rather than simply watch it. 

I have replaced the weeds that crept into my mind with beautiful seeds of self-discovery using the ABC Capsule. How about trying the ABC capsule if you are overshadowed by the weed?  

*Views are personal