Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

Addiction #25 – Freedom from NEGATIVITY
“Addiction is our unconscious attempt at making things better. Alcoholics and drug
addicts reach for alcohol and drugs because the ‘trip’ they take during a high seems
better than sobriety. Likewise, we’ve trained ourselves to reach for ‘negative emotions’
as a way of defending against our bigger insecurities.” ~ Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott
It is quite safe to say that negativity has successfully invaded our society. Our
conversations are riddled with complaints and gossip, our media is laced with stories both
sad and shocking, and our minds are overflowing with thoughts of hopelessness and
doubt. Our modern culture has offered us the darkened lenses of woe and fear, and we
have all-too-willingly put them on.
To clarify, by “negativity” I do not mean mentioning to a store manager that the product
you recently purchased at her store is defective, I do not mean respectfully maintaining a
personal opinion during a heated discussion with an acquaintance, and I do not mean
warning another person about a potential hazard to their health. For me, such examples
aren’t “negative” – they are communicative. The ability to discern “beneficial” from
“harmful” is a valuable trait that we all possess, and it is one to be nourished. Identifying
when something is broken or inconsistent or even dangerous is one thing – labeling these
things as “terrible” or “awful” or even “bad” is another.
In essence, what I am referring to in this chapter is the habit many of us have of
complaining about the situations that don’t go our way, denigrating the people we dislike
or with whom we disagree, and whining about the things we lack.
I’m talking about bemoaning “bad luck” when it strikes.
I’m talking about critically gossiping about our neighbors.
I’m talking about complaining about “bad weather”.
I’m talking about broadcasting our fatigue to others
whenever we are tired.
I’m talking about watching the next catastrophe unfold on
the nightly news, while numbly whispering a soft and
heartless “What a shame”.
I’m talking about silently rejoicing over the failures of our enemies, and
melodramatically grieving the losses of our friends.
These are the choices we make that are far too prevalent in our lives.
These are the choices that keep us from transcending our difficulties, and these are the
choices that keep us mired in lives that feel constantly “less than”.
These, my Friends, are the choices that must change.
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