A guided mental subtraction meditation, with its script below. Imagine what your life would be like now if you hadn’t experienced the positive events, and affirm them.
We don’t often take a moment’s pause to consider how all of the positive events we’ve experienced have shaped the lives that we now lead. In contrast, when negative experiences occur in our lives, we tend to attach ourselves to them with great conviction. What if we switched this around? What if we allowed negative stories to be released, instead witnessing and focusing on the positive events that we have been blessed with? In this guided meditation, you are guided to make the mental subtractions that would have followed if a particular positive event had not occurred, which may deepen gratitude and appreciation for the moment that did happen.
Directing Our Attention to the Positive
As we practice mindfulness, we might become more inherently aware of any tendency we may have to focus on the negative. When we catch ourselves engaging in this type of mental activity, we can either, 1) return our attention to the simplicity of this present moment, or 2) compassionately redirect our attention to the positive, noting what we have to be grateful for. This type of gratitude practice may increase our sense of inner peace and harmony as we begin to reframe the stories we tell ourselves.
Mindfulness Exercises for Positivity and Happiness
In addition to this guided meditation, there is a wealth of mindfulness exercises that can inspire peace, calm, and contentment within. Beyond guided meditations and mindfulness talks, we can further explore our inner world by using mindfulness worksheets that encourage us to take a deeper look at what moves through us.
