It took a trip to the west side of Washington to realize the error of my thinking and to recognize my ‘ah hah’ moment. Let me explain …
Currently, I live in a very conservative republican area of the country. Although I love the area and the people, I struggle with the mindset. Over the years, I have migrated my thinking from a conservative to a more liberal viewpoint. I understand that this move is not unusual in today’s political climate, but it made me feel disconnected from where I live.
When visiting my church family in Washington, I felt the openness and progressive thinking I did not feel in my home state of Idaho. Of course, being
surrounded by like-minded people was a refreshing change. I almost dreaded heading back home.
In Washington, I found the noise and traffic a bit unnerving. After all, I had been away from all that for over 40 years when I left California. When I came home, I was surprised at the peace I felt here. The river was waiting for me, along with the wildlife, the quiet, and the friendly neighbors.
My ‘A-Hah’ Moment
When I took my first walk along the river after I returned from my trip, I discovered my ‘ah hah’ moment. Of course, I felt constrained in my conservative environment! I had told myself repeatedly that the mindset was damaging and unproductive. And, as I already know, what I think, I create. The peace was beautiful, and I needed to remember that when I fell into my ‘poor me, I live in a repressive state.’
“Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life” is one of the mottos of the New Thought movement. But had I done that? No! I was creating what I did not want in my mind, and the Universe was telling me a big YES!
So, after I returned from my walk, I unsubscribed to all the political emails I receive daily. I stopped reading from the Smart News app on my phone and concentrated my time reading uplifting messages and bypassing the rest. I didn’t need to fill my mind with that negativity any longer.
It took a trip out of the area to learn to appreciate where I live. I feel silly for not realizing what I was doing with my thinking! I know better now!