Inertia

(in-ur-shuh) - noun: the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force.

I'm realizing lately how difficult it is to change the trajectory of my thoughts without applying adequate force. For not having physical matter, thoughts in motion certainly remain in motion.
On days when things just seem to go all wrong it's hard to get out of the trenches, take a step back, breathe, and apply some external force to shift the straight line my thoughts have taken.
If I want to change the way I think and interact with the world around me, I have to set the intention to perceive it in a positive way. Perhaps not always in a positive (upbeat/cheerful/happy) way, but in a way that serves me, teaches me. When I come across a thought or attitude that doesn't serve me in the here and now, I have to acknowledge it, not castigate myself for it, but then apply some force to shift the line.

It all comes down to grounding myself, knowing where I want to go (the trajectory on which I want to be), and making necessary adjustments. So when I start to let my mind wander I and begin to sink into a funk, I'm trying to stop, breathe, remember where I want to be going, give myself some grace, and make an adjustment.

Part of my struggle has been figuring out what I want/where I want to end up. While I may not have a twenty-year plan on paper, I know I want specific attributes, certain things to be true about me. If I work on that, focus on developing qualities that I value, that's much more important than trying to get somewhere specific.