channel_p_and_channel_n thy look at it like this: your mind is a mental broadcasting station. this broadcasting system transmits messages to you on two equally powerful channels: channel_P (positive) and channel_N (negative). so someone says something. lets say, for instance, something good, with a tinge of something unsatisfactory thrown in. your mind is looking for thoughts, naturally. if you tune to channel_N, your gonna get all sorts of negativity. its not pretty all the things your mind can come up with, but when you tuned in, you got what was playing. if you tune in to channel_P, its just as ready to tell you all sorts of stuff too. you will think good things, favorable things, constructive things, positive things. try it and see. bear in mind that the longer you stay tuned to a channel, the more interested you become and the harder it is to switch channels. this is true because one thought, positive or negative, sets off a whole chain reaction of similar thoughts. you may start off with a simple minor negative thought about a subject. before you know it, it can balloon into a major throwdown of negativity. and that wont take you where you want to go. you own it, so manage your thought broadcasting system. when thoughts turn to people (yourself included) make channel_P your listening habit. if channel_N cuts in, tell it to stop. ignore it. then switch channels. to change it, all you must do is think one positive quality about the individual. in true chain reaction style, this thought will lead to another and another. and you will be glad. when you are alone, you and only you can decide whether you will listen to channel_P or channel_N. but when you are talking with someone else, that person has a measure of control over how you think. people_are_people, and they say all kinds of things. good, bad and in between. this is good, but sometimes people will say things, and for whatever reason, they may conjure up negative thoughts in you. also, what is a neutral or realitivly un-negative, harmless thought to one person, might be a negative, or very negative, harmful thought to another. thoughts breed like thoughts. there is real danger that if you hear (real or not) negative comments, you to will go negative. in fact, if your not on guard, you may find yourself adding fuel to the fire. there are two ways to prevent others (and ourselves) from switching our thoughts from channel_P to channel_N. one is to change the subject, instead of dwelling on it. the other is to excuse yourself from that person. if its you that is being negative (and your channel clicker is on the fritz) try getting up and and walking around, going outside for a walk, bike ride, reading a book or magazine, or cooking. what ever would work for you. something that will get you out of your head and thinking about something else. make a forceful promise to yourself. stay focused on remaining positive, and refuse to let others make your thinking negative. stay tuned to channel_P. tune in to channel_P, the Good Thoughts Station and your life will be better for it this is a paraphrased, slightly modified, blatherized excerpt from the book "The Magic Of Thinking Big" by David_J_Schwartz_Ph_D its an excellent book i would recommend to everyone. i found the channel_P_and_channel_N part simple, but very helpful. i offer it in the hopes it will be helpful to others. this message has been brought to you by: your friendly local neighborhood ! 110825 what's it to you? who go blather from