Visualise a parade in a
country that looks like the suburbs of Southern India. You're
marching down a dusty road. The sun is shining and the sky is a clear baby
blue. There are crowds of people. A big brass band is
playing. Everyone is swaying side to side. There are Elephants dressed in
brightly coloured silk blankets with tassels hanging from all directions.
Everyone is happy, joyful, singing and shouting in praise to the music. The
faces of the people in the crowd radiate a cheerful glow.
Everyone is having such a
great time. The music fills their souls with contentment and as they
dance, they connect with others around them feeling the same way, smiling at
one another. Then, splash! What's that? The crowd look above where they see
that out of nowhere a grey cloud has moved in overhead. At first the
splashes of rain are light and only small, so the parade continues. But
soon they begin to get heavier and more frequent. The grey cloud turns
darker and darker and begins to rumble with the sound of thunder. Flashes
of lightening electrify the sky. Everyone starts running away, abandoning
the parade and heading for shelter.
This scenario symbolises how
our lives can sometimes be. When you are happy and content but others may
not be, they can often represent the grey cloud that comes along and takes away
your smile. You may have had some good news or a bright idea or just be
feeling happy because it's Friday. But when you see your friend or your
mum or your boyfriend or girlfriend, they soon say something to bring you down
and wipe the smile from your face. Or maybe it is not something someone has
said, but some bad news that you hear or something that goes wrong.
You're a strong person, so
you can take one negative blow. You can take one grey cloud with light
rain. And so you carry on. But if you become surrounded by too much
negative energy, you keep pessimistic company and too many things go wrong, the
sky becomes too dark and the rain falls so hard that you can't see ahead. And so
you stop trying to enjoy your life. You stop reaching out, because you don't
want to feel that sinking feeling that those in the parade felt when the rain
got heavy and so, like them, you feel there is no option but to abandon your plans
and find somewhere to hide away from the storm.
It's important to remember
that rain is only temporary, no matter how heavy and gloomy it becomes. And so too are your troubles. They will pass like the storm. But there are things that you can do in order to help yourself to both
avoid and to deal with the negative energy that comes into your life.
Firstly, you
need to do is to think about where the negative energy in your life usually comes from. Is
there someone who is always putting you down? Does your job make you miserable?
If so, what is it about your job that makes you miserable? Do you like where
you live? Could you move house and live somewhere nicer? If you manage
the situations that are within your control, then you will find that you cope
better with those that are out of your control.
Once you have identified the
areas in your life that need to change in order for your happiness to last,
it's time to start taking action. Distance yourself from unsupportive
people, move jobs or take the necessary steps to changing your career, decide
what your priorities are and work towards making your life as you would want it
to be. Stop listening to the opinions of others and focus on what is most
important to you.
Live your life to its
fullest, dance in the sun and don't let anyone rain on your parade!
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