This was first published on the Buddhist Broadcasting Network:

Here are 10 things I did to help overcome my negative thoughts that you can also try:

1. Meditate or do yoga.

One of the first things I did was head to a yoga class. It took my focus away from my thoughts and brought my attention to my breath. Yoga is also very relaxing which helped ease my mind. Yoga helped me stay present to my experience so instead of jumping to what could happen, it brought me back to the now—the only moment, the most important moment.

2. Smile.

I didn’t do much of this during the weekend so I literally had to bring myself in front of a mirror and force myself to smile. It really does help change your mood and relieve stress. I also felt lighter because it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

I called a friend who I knew could give me constructive, yet loving feedback. When you’re stuck in a negative spiral, talk to people who can put things into perspective and won’t feed your negative thinking.

4. Change the tone of your thoughts from negative to positive.

For example, instead of thinking We are going to have a hard time adjusting to our living situation, replace that with We will face some challenges in our living situation, but we will come up with solutions that we will both be happy with.

5. Don’t play the victim. You create your life—take responsibility.

The way I was thinking and acting, you would think I was stuck. Even if our living situation becomes unbearable, there is always a way out. I will always have the choice to make change happen, if need be.

6. Help someone.

Take the focus away from you and do something nice for another person. I decided to make a tray of food and donate it to the Salvation Army. It took my mind off of things and I felt better for helping someone else.

7. Remember that no one is perfect and let yourself move forward.

It’s easy to dwell on your mistakes. I felt terrible that I acted this way and that I wasted our weekend. The only thing I can do now is learn from my mistakes and move forward. I definitely don’t want to have a weekend like that again.

8. Sing.

I don’t remember lyrics very well and it’s probably the reason that I don’t enjoy singing, but every time I do sing I always feel better . When we sing, we show our feelings and this provides an amazing stress relief.

9. List five things that you are grateful for right now.

Being grateful helps appreciate what you already have. Here’s my list: My cats, health, a six-week trip to Asia, a new yoga class that I’ll be teaching, and for my mom’s biopsy coming out clean.

10. Read positive quotes.

I like to place Post-It notes with positive quotes on my computer, fridge door and mirror as reminders to stay positive. Also, I’d like to share with you a quote by an unknown author that was shared in a meditation class that I attended:

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

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~ Lao Tzu

Midnight Run is a volunteer organization dedicated to finding common ground between the housed and the homeless.

From their website: 

In over 1,000 relief missions per year, Midnight Run volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups distribute food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. The late-night relief efforts create a forum for trust, sharing, understanding and affection. That human exchange, rather than the exchange of goods, is the essence of the Midnight Run mission.

Midnight Run is not a solution to homelessness. Our goal is to forge a bond between housed and homeless people by establishing a foundation of sharing and caring from which solutions may evolve. Through Midnight Run, volunteers come to see the homeless as real people, not a commodity. And homeless men and women learn that many mainstream adults and teenagers have commitments and concerns that go beyond their own lives and families.

Midnight Run has established some policies that are not obvious to the uninitiated, but are important to protecting the interests of volunteers and people on the street alike. Here’s a rundown:

• Publicity. We do not allow reporters on runs. In general, we discourage publicity. The interests of people on the street are not served by revealing to a broad audience either their identities or where they lay their heads at night. If you have specific concerns regarding publicity, please contact us directly.

• Cameras. We do not allow cameras on runs. See Publicity above.

• Cash. We never give money to anyone on a Midnight Run. This would set a bad precedent for subsequent groups.

• Evangelism. Midnight Run is comprised of volunteers from many faiths, as well as secular volunteers. We all share an agenda of solidarity with the homeless. Many volunteers base their involvement on their personal religious beliefs, which is fine. But promoting those religious beliefs, or distributing literature, is forbidden. We do not, however, put restrictions on private conversations, as long as they do not constitute proselytizing.

• Neighborliness. We are committed to being good neighbors to city residents and officials. In that effort, we have put together a series of good neighbor guidelines.

• Security. In eighteen years, we have never had a volunteer injured in an interaction on the street. But New York City can be a dangerous place. So, we require that volunteers stay in pairs when they go to wake someone, and that they stay in sight of vehicles at all times (except when accompanied by an experienced leader)

Ryan Estrada developed an awesome slideshow on how to travel anywhere on 20 dollars a day. Click to check it out — TRAVEL. 

Heart Warming Events, Baptisms, Weddings, Wakes

“Event” is a good word… it’s definition: an occurrence or incident, especially of significance.

As a Deacon (capital D) I am involved in significant events in people’s lives: Baptisms, Weddings, Wakes. I’m not classifying Mass as an event – it’s in a separate category, because it involves the larger community rather than individual families.

A Deacon’s Thoughts on Baptisms

Baptisms are by far the most enjoyable; we’re celebrating new life, physical and spiritual.  There’s much JOY!!!

A Deacon’s Thoughts on Weddings

Weddings are the least “fulfilling” for me, although I truly enjoy walking with the couple especially in the preparation for their marriage.  But the Wedding Day, since it is the most significant day in the lives of the couple, is filled with tension.  Not all bad, of course.  There’s so much planning of every detail that it becomes fraught with tension.  Everything is expected to work out perfectly as planned. (Which, as we know, is not true to life!)

A Deacon’s Thoughts on Wakes

I feel most fulfilled at Wakes.  The mourners are very close to God in that situation. I feel that I can help them in the connection with God.

Concluding Thoughts on Heart Warming Events

Baptisms are more physically “draining” of my energy.  I do a lot of moving around, using physical energy.  At Wakes, on the other hand, I just stand there – little physical movement on my part, much more passive, as befits the “event”!~  Weddings would be in the middle – some physical energy expended.

Emotional energy for all 3 is about equal, although I emote more at Baptisms, as is the nature of the joyful event.”

This piece was written by our Dear Friend, Bob Campbell. Bob has contributed on Lucid Practice a lot over the past few months. We are extremely grateful!

It never ceases to amaze me how funerals and wakes put life into perspective. On those days as Bob says,  “mourners are very close to God.” After losing a loved one, I certainly feel drawn to a higher power.

I love divine messages sent reminding us of an old friend or family members spirit. It seems that a person may move on physically but their Spirit stays with the people they touched. 

Have you experienced similar feelings at these types of life events?