Deliberately Think Positive
Our focus this week — Sep 3–9: “Goodwill”
Today’s MotD: Deliberately Think Positive. Given all the suffering going on in the world today, let alone what may be going on with us individually, how do we focus on thinking positively…and yet, that is what we’re encouraged to do. Let’s be honest—sometimes the last thing I want to do is send warm, fuzzy thoughts to someone who’s making my blood boil!
Here’s the thing…there have been times, there are times, and there will be times when someone triggers us for any number of reasons: they are unworthy, they are a jerk, everything gets handed to them, they seem to always get away with doing “bad” things, and so on.
Being triggered is a GOOD thing because it’s letting us know where we aren’t at peace. Staying in the trigger or going deeper down that rabbit hole, increases our inner angst, misery, and suffering. While the person we resent, is clueless and continues along their merry way.
This is when “deliberately think positive” needs to comes in. First we identify and acknowledge the feelings being triggered and ASAP we deliberately think a positive thought towards that person…force it or fake it if we must, we need to just do it…not for THEM but for US. We’re expanding on yesterday’s topic: what goes around comes around.
Personally, that’s all fine and dandy, however, I’m struggling with this concept. It feels like I’m condoning their behavior. So I went to visit ChatGPT and ask it for its advice regarding this issue. Here’s what it said:
Wishing goodwill toward someone who enrages us isn’t condoning their behavior—it’s reclaiming our inner peace. When we send ill will, we keep ourselves stuck in anger and pain. When we send goodwill, we rise into clarity and freedom. It’s not about blessing what they’ve done; it’s about refusing to let their darkness dim our light.
It also added:
Goodwill isn’t endorsement. It can be fierce goodwill, grounded goodwill, boundary-making goodwill. You’re not saying, ‘I love everything you do.’ You’re saying, ‘May you awaken. May you find clarity. May you stop causing harm.’ That’s goodwill too.
Essentially, it comes down to this:
Every time we wish someone ill,
we dim our own light.
Every time we send goodwill,
we reclaim it.
How about you ? Is sending goodwill to someone who triggers you a struggle to do ? Do you feel like that would be condoning their behavior ? Would it help to understand that it’s not about them so much as it is about our own peace and well-being ?
BTW…Here’s the before…the front and back view of today’s puzzle piece and the pretty ceramic box that holds all my numbers from which I randomly choose each day’s puzzle piece number:
Peace & Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
Creating Mandalas 🔆 Awakening Inner Harmony
ABOUT THE 2025 Mandalas of the Day
Throughout the year, I’ll be building one large (48”x48”) Tibetan-styled Mandala one piece at a time…one puzzle piece at a time, that is. The mandala design and the reversed puzzle side were printed on artist-quality watercolor paper. The forward facing puzzle side was printed on a 48”x48” wood panel.
Each day, at random, I’ll be painting in watercolors one of the 365 watercolor puzzle pieces, that by the end of the year will become Archangel Mandala #4. Read more about the Archangel Series. The word/message for each piece will be inspired by Melody Beattie’s book “52 Weeks of Conscious Contact”.
Ultimately, the message of this mandala is about how we are all uniquely part of the one.
Mandala of the Day 