I have been planning on writing this blog post for a while. After receiving some sadness in my community, I decided to write it today.

We should focus on the good. And I don’t mean we shouldn’t grieve, ignore conflict, or empathize with the problems of those around us. I mean that if we focus on the good in the little things, maybe we will have more bandwidth to deal with the hard ones.

I’ve notice that it’s become increasingly popular to focus on the bad. We ignore peoples accomplishments but broadcast their downfalls. We look at our faces and bodies (or those of others) and pick out what we don’t like instead of celebrating what makes us beautiful and unique. Comment sections are filled with cyber bullying in hopes of going viral or being mean for a quick laugh. Even as a Christian, I’ve noticed that some are quick to point out what or who they deem evil instead of highlighting the goodness that can be found around us.

Even if you aren’t Christian or even religious, I feel this verse can be applied by all:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Bible tells us to meditate or think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.

I know this is harder for some than others. Sometimes, you literally have to train your mind to look at the bright side. There is a book by Pastor Joyce Meyer called The Battlefield of the Mind. I really believe that the mind is a battlefield, and focusing on good things is how we fight to win that battle.

Maybe there is one small thing you can meditate on that is good. Go from there. I wanted to challenge you this Monday to focus on the good, so you can really have the strength to fight the not-so-good.

Here are some suggestions on how to focus your thoughts on the good:

• Start a gratitude journal. Even writing one thing you’re thankful for a day helps!
• Worship music. Find a song that speaks positivity or inspiration and let that wash over you. Sometimes, listening to the positive words of the singers can help if you can’t think of them yourself.
• Take inventory of what you’re taking in: songs, shows, books, social media pages. Are they filling you with anxiety? Are the songs/shows/movies putting you in a bad headspace because of distressing content? If so, it may be time to take a break.
• Talk to a friend or a family member. If you don’t have anyone at all, I’ve left resources down below (or you can email me at the contact button above!)
• Go outside. Fresh air and/or sun can do wonders for your mental health, and lack of Vitamin D can affect that as well (and most Americans are Vitamin D deficient). It is recommended to sit outside for 30 minutes a day.
• Log off of social media. With comment sections, distressing headlines, and overall pessimism, social media can be a bad place to focus on the good. Schedule time in your day, week, or month to fully disconnect from your social media accounts.
• Journal. Sometimes getting your thoughts on paper and out of your head help make sense of things.
• Prayer. If you are not religious, just give it a try one time. Or, you could ask someone to pray for you.

I hope this helps. Let me know how you focus on the good in the comment section. Thank you for reading this post and know that I am praying for you!

National Suicide Prevention Number: 800-273-8255.
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