Two Wolves

Teflon and Velcro 

Photo by: Janice Yuvallos

Photo by:Thoma

Velcro works great.  Adapted from nature, Velcro can grab hold and not let go.  It's an amazing invention that's performed well and reliably.

The same thing could be said for Teflon.  The polar opposite function of Velcro, Teflon lets 
thing slide right off of it.  No resistance at all.  Just zip!  And it's gone.So why do I offer these observations about two consumer products?  Because they have
 direct and precise correlations to how our minds work - and how our minds work controls the quality of our lives.

Say you've had a wonderful day.  No traffic on the way into work.  The boss calls you in and says you've been promoted with a nice raise to come.  You get home and take the family out to a great dinner at a fancy restaurant.  Then you walk back to the car, only to find that you've been hit with a $200 parking ticket and a flat tire.

What do you obsess about?  What sticks in your head?  What turns into Velcro?  The parking ticket and the flat tire.  What slides right off?  What becomes Teflon?  The happy day that preceded all the trouble.

Experts estimate that we spend 85% of our waking moments focused on negative self-talk.  It's easy to chalk that up to "human nature," but I strongly disagree.  We always have a choice about what we permit our minds to cling to or let slide off.  The truest definition of "human nature" is that we are created for abundance, happiness, and love-based relationships.

It reminds me of a fable.  One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, and arrogance. The other is Good - It is peace, love, hope, humility, compassion, and faith. "The grandson thought about this for a while and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" To which the wise old man simply replied, "The one you feed."


You can choose to let positive thoughts become the Velcro of your mind.  The ones that stick.  The negative stuff can slide, Teflon-like, right off.  Feed the good wolf.   

Be Well,

Eric