Today we ask that you focus your energy and attention not on what you wish to destroy, but what you wish to create.
If you could do this one thing, it would radically improve your whole life experience.
Focus your energy and attention not on what you wish to destroy, but rather on what you wish to create.
What does this mean?
The majority of humans are more oriented toward what they want to destroy, instead of creating.
For example, in life most people go around focusing on what they dislike. Really, these are things they would like to wish out of existence: the fat around the belly, the traffic jam, the despised politician, the credit card bill.
You may not think of it this way, but you are wishing for these things to be destroyed. Often, when you are angry at another person, there is a part of you that wishes to destroy their current identity. This is not to say you wish physical harm on someone you dislike — although some people do. But what you wish is to destroy their current identity, the way their minds work, what they believe, etc. You want to remake them into someone more pleasing to you.
You wish to destroy the personality you perceive as flawed and problematic, and replace it with a persona you like better.
You wish these politicians did not exist in their present form. They are ruining everything. You want to wave a magic wand, and change them into different people.
In the same way, you want to destroy the fat around your belly. You want to wave a magic wand and wish it out of existence.
Perhaps you wish that some part of your past had never happened. You want to wave a magic wand and change things, give yourself a different past.
And so you see that most humans are very fixated upon all these things they would like to wish out of existence — to destroy.
It is a great waste of energy.
And ultimately the destructive urge does in fact lead to acts of violence and war. These include, but are not limited to, acts of terrorism, murder, and of course the great wars that slaughter millions.
If you look inside many average households, you will see humans locked in chronic warfare. Husbands and wives are at war with each other. Parents and children are at war. Neighbors war with neighbors. Offices are full of people at war. Everyone is at war — mostly with themselves, of course.
When you want to destroy the fat on your body or any physical feature you dislike, you are at war with yourself.
When you beat yourself up because of something you did or didn’t do, you are at war with yourself.
What if it didn’t have to be like this?
What would life look like if humans weren’t oriented toward destruction, but rather creation?
Consider what happens when you wrest your attention away from all these things you are angry about and want to wish out of existence, and instead focus on creating something new, that feels good to you.
So, for example, instead of attacking yourself for being physically out of shape, you focus your energy and attention on this question: how can I create a healthy body, and feel good doing so?
This may seem subtle, but the difference is vast.
Because, you see, the person who is oriented toward destroying his fat, ugly body will not create lasting health. Even if he binge diets and exhausts himself working out, he will inevitably fall out of shape again, and return to the pattern of hating and attacking his ugly body.
Whereas the person who is oriented toward feeling good as he creates a healthy, happy body will, over time, succeed.
Some people define this phenomenon as “The Law of Attraction,” but this is a wildly misunderstood thing. It is not just about wishing what you want into existence — manifesting the car, the soul mate, the dream job.
It goes much deeper than this. It is also much simpler. It is about changing your whole energetic orientation away from negative destruction, and toward positive creation.
If you want to create healthy and harmonious change in your life, you must at the same time completely release your compulsion to destroy.
In practice, this means a deep acceptance of reality as it is. It means making peace with reality, and not being at war with it.
This means ceasing to attack things, situations, and people — even in your mind. Especially in your mind.
This is no small matter, obviously. The destructive urge is habitual, and to a large degree innate. Animals and pre-verbal children can and do act violently out of jealousy, the desire to control and dominate, etc.
But humans, unlike animals, possess the ability to completely reshape their minds and consciousness through focused effort. This is the purpose of meditative practice — to calm and focus the wild animal mind that cannot control its impulses and compulsions, and create a peaceful consciousness.
You do not, however, have to be a monk in meditative retreat in order to do this.
Anyone can do this, anywhere, right now.
Just recognize when you are in “destroy” mode. It happens when you are complaining and judging. It happens when you wish something out of existence.
Catch yourself when you are doing this, and ask yourself: “What do I really want to create here?”
For example: when you are in conflict with another person, generally your actions are working toward destroying the relationship. If you are attacking the person in your mind, wishing they were someone else, this will be reflected in your behavior and actions.
But often, that is not what you really want. Usually what people really want is to create a healthier relationship with the person they are in conflict with — even if it means severing the relationship.
So if this is really what you want, ask: how can I create this? How can I create a healthier relationship with this person? How can I create peace around this situation?
And then just wait and see. There will be an answer, so long as you release the need to continue attacking and destroying this person in your mind, gossiping negatively about this person with others, etc.
This holds true in any situation.
If you are unhappy with your life experience, do an inventory.
Over the course of a day, pay attention to how much time you spend in “destroy/attack” mode — negatively judging and wishing things out of existence. Also pay attention to how much time you spend in positive creation — creating in a way that feels good to you.
If you want to enjoy your life experience more, it is simple: decrease the amount of time you spend in “destroy/attack mode”, and increase the amount of time spent in “feel-good creation.”
You do not have to be a monk to increase peace in your life, and the world. Anyone can do this.
Just ask yourself: would you rather use your power, time, and energy to destroy, or would you rather use your power, time, and energy to create?
It is your choice.
But if you choose “destroy,” you will increase disharmonious energy in your life experience. You will be at war, and war is an unpleasant, draining state of being.
It is much wiser to create than to destroy.
wordfromthewell 