For those of you who weren’t aware, I made this announcement over a month ago about my new book.
In That Original Post I Explained...
Over the next few months, I’ll be rereading all of the post comments, enhancing the posts, and crafting them into the final chapters. When these chapters are complete I’ll have an open call for beta-readers on Hive to read the manuscript and offer feedback.
What Is A Beta-Reader? (from Wikipedia)
Beta Reader: a test reader of an unreleased work of literature or other writing (similar to beta testing in software), who gives feedback from the point of view of an average reader to the author. A beta reader is not a professional and can therefore provide advice and comments in the opinions of an average reader. This feedback is used by the writer to fix remaining issues with plot, pacing, and consistency. The beta reader also serves as a sounding board to see if the book has had the intended emotional impact.
The Process Of Writing Mindful Moments
This book project has been like no other one I’ve ever worked on. First, it’s taken way longer to write than a book written in the traditional way. Secondly, it’s been so much more enjoyable to let the ideas for the chapters naturally bubble up into my imagination.
I thank you in advance for your notes and feedback in the comments below. It’s been very valuable to me so far and will help to create a book which, hopefully, helps lots of people improve their lives for many years to come.
Final Thoughts
I really appreciate all of you who've followed these posts over the last month! We wrapped up right on schedule. It's been an interesting experiment and I've received some useful feedback. I'd offer a special thanks to 
Today, I chose the paper and ink type (Black ink and 55# '90 GSM' white paper). This week I'll be making final corrections to the manuscript, receiving the illustrations from Ophelia, and then the book will be off to the designer!
Mindful Moments will have one additional chapter that I didn't publish here and some additional bonus material. The meditation sections at the end of each chapter will also be revised a bit to make them all a little more unique.
It's been three years since I've launched a book so I'm very excited for this fall! Thanks again and I'll be posting regular updates in my Saturday Musings posts about the progress of this project! I can't wait for you all to see the final product.
Chapter Ten – Negativity, A Roadmap To Self-Improvement
We live in tumultuous times and there’s plenty to be angry about in the world today. All we have to do is tune into mainstream media or scroll through our social media feeds to see a flurry of hate, envy, anger, disgust, and outrage. Negativity is as large of an epidemic as the current pandemic we’re all struggling through and in some ways is even more contagious. People have become addicted to negativity and are drawn to it again and again, like a drug.
Unless you’re willing to completely retreat from society and become a hermit there’s no way to fully shield yourself from negativity. Some feelings of negativity are warranted and even valuable because they can provide a catalyst for change. These uncomfortable feelings can even provide a roadmap to us for our own self-improvement. We must learn to not only manage these feelings but also learn to listen to what these feelings of negativity are trying to tell us about ourselves. It’s imperative to our own well-being that we figure this out.
Science is beginning to prove that negative emotions, if left unchecked and unprocessed, are like poison to both the mental and physical health of the person who holds onto them. Holding onto negativity for any length of time can lead to a multitude of mental and medical problems like depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and even cancer. We must learn to master these negative emotions and release them or they will master us by stealing away our personal power, life balance, and destroying our inner peace.
How can we successfully manage our negative feelings?
- We can take the reactive approach and attempt to quell anger that already exists inside of us through regular meditation; or
- We can take it a step further and try to get to the root of why certain behaviors and situations trigger our negative emotions to begin with.
I recommend a combination of both #1 and #2.
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding about ourselves.” - Carl Jung
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Thought Exercise
Take a few moments to think of a person in recent days that has annoyed you in some way, even the example seems vague or insignificant. What exact traits and behaviors in that person angered or annoyed you? Now think about whether or not you yourself exhibit the same behavior that you’re despising in the other person. Is there a time when you did the same thing yourself?
Although it’s often unconscious, we recognize our own flaws and deficiencies and this makes it easier to recognize these traits in others and we often hate them for it. When we experience hate or anger the source or trigger of these negative emotions often represent everything we wish we weren’t. Also, when we feel envy or jealousy the trigger of these emotions represent things that we wish we were or things we wish we had. Pause a moment to let that sink in and in time you’ll realize how much truth there is in it.
“...negative emotions often represent everything we wish we weren’t.”
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Ego, Friend or Foe?
At first your ego will try to create a smokescreen by manifesting excuses and denial. Your ego is a great deceiver and probably the largest roadblock to your own self-improvement. However, if you sift through the excuses the truth will become more clear. With patience and courage to face the truth, we can begin to work on improving these negative aspects of ourselves.
Again, when you experience anger/hate the steps are:
- Focus on the negative emotion. Pinpoint the exact behavior in others that triggers feelings of anger/hate;
- Identify that behavior in yourself. In what ways do you exhibit the same behavior? Think of a precise example; and
- Work on self-improvement. Make it a mission to try to fix these aspects of yourself. By doing so you’ll kill the anger/hate at its very roots.
Now repeat this process with every negative emotion you feel. Of course, this won’t eliminate all instances of negative emotion, sometimes people are just difficult, but it will get rid of a lot of them and will give you a much greater understanding of yourself in the process.
Meditation
If you discover the feelings of negativity aren't rooted in yourself the following meditation/affirmation is a great way to eliminate the poison of negativity and prevent damage to your mental and physical health.
Find a quiet place that will be free from distractions. Sit upright in a comfortable chair with your eyes closed and concentrate on your breath for a count of thirty...to breathe properly for meditation just remember,
- INHALE through your nose for a count of 5 (sniff the flower), as you breathe in imagine positive energy and bright white light filling up your body;
- HOLD the breath for a count of 5 (pause), feel the positive energy coursing through your being;
- EXHALE from your mouth for a count of 7 (blow out the candle), as you breathe out feel the negativity escaping through your breath.
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Affirmation
Repeat the following lines:
Whisper words of sadness, release them from your soul.
Watch each sorrow take its flight, feel what it is to be whole.
Embrace the calm, revel in peace, absence of pain, all worries cease.
You deserve every happiness, you deserve to be free.
Whisper these words in perfect peace and you will forever after be.
After you recite the lines of this poem, linger in the feelings of serenity for a few minutes. Focus entirely on the peace you feel and ways in which you can improve your own behavior and become a better version of yourself.
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In Gratitude,
~ Eric Vance Walton ~
I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.
Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the blockchain
My meditation book, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!
