YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!
The type of thoughts that we allow to run through our minds affect our attitudes, moods, what we say, what we do, and ultimately how we live. It affects our relationships with others which in turn ends up having an effect on others in the world. What we think about is tied to what we have been exposed to through our eyes: what we have read, seen, and watched; what we have heard and listened to; what we have physically felt, what we have experienced, and what we have sensed(spiritually). This is one reason why it is very important to guard our eyes and ears. Just because we see something doesn't mean we have to stop and watch it.
Just because we hear something doesn't mean that we have to stop and listen to it. We have grown up in a society that is very nosey and wants to be exposed to as much as possible even if they don't relate to what they are exposing themselves to. Make it a habit to consider if what you are reading, watching, and listening to is in alignment with your spirit. If not, distance yourself from it and focus on what is. Ultimately, we are in control of our own emotions.
How we choose to think and process what we are exposed to in life will dictate how we feel emotionally. No one but us can choose how we will be affected by what is going on around us. If I don't like something, I can choose to ignore and consciously focus on something else instead. If something or someone doesn't sit right with me, I have the choice to remove myself from that situation even if it is inconvenient. We have much more control than we give ourselves credit for.
Society shows us that we should allow others to control our own thoughts especially if they are a relative, significant other, a friend, or someone that others think highly of. With the exception of our fellow brothers and sisters of the Diaspora who may struggle with serious mental problems, we are for the most part in control of our own minds. So start thinking like it!