Outlook

        "Outlook is a forward motion. One looks out and the word itself is the result of what one sees or perceives. What we see, how we feel about it becomes a part of the mental and emotional reactions that are played out daily. We take in so much information that is processed and discarded or processed and retained and sometimes not processed at all. This information builds on itself and becomes welded together to become form, to become a somewhat concrete outline of how we see the world and others.

        We look and we observe and we react. We form opinions and feelings based on these things and experiences that come before us. If the experiences are generally good ones, then the outlook is also generally good, but if the experiences have been painful and tough, then our outlook may have hardened and become surrounded by negativity. Then patterns of behavior take hold and we create and re-create based on the basic pattern of our outlook.

        How then do we try to have a good outlook? Take an inventory of what you are seeing out the window of your soul, then compare that with what you are seeing out the window of your eyes and your ears and your feelings. Perhaps you are not aware of any window of the soul. That window is awareness, that window allows for non judgement and loving caring toward the world. It also allows for conclusions to be made in a slow and reasonable way. It allows for mistakes and it allows for forgiveness.

        Being aware of one's negativity is a first step toward change, also, being aware of what causes the negativity and sometimes that goes back a long way to the core of things, to the seed that grew to take root as a pattern. Life's experiences changes our outlooks, but as we grow and learn, we can balance that which causes a negative reaction with that which causes a positive one. It cannot be done all at once just by deciding to balance. It can be accomplished by awareness of the amount of negativity as well as the intensity of it and how often it occurs in your life. Bringing in more positive experiences can be a start toward balance. It does not have to be a daily inventory, but once in awhile, check out your list of negative and positive outlooks. Keep your window of awareness as clear as you can."