Maintaining a "great mood" is fundamentally a choice of where to look.
QUESTION:
Lee, when you speak about high vibrations, it feels as though we are expected to stay in a wonderful mood at all times. Yet psychologists claim that we should experience a broad range of emotions because they serve as guidance in our lives. What are your thoughts on this? Personally, I feel that experiencing different emotions is what makes us feel alive. Am I right to assume you aren't suggesting we eliminate unpleasant emotions, but rather use them as signposts that we are heading in the wrong direction?
LEE’S RESPONSE:
Indeed, psychology doesn't tell us to "dwell in negativity"; it says "don't hide from your emotions." In the same way, we aren't discussing ways to stick our heads in the sand here. Rather, "emotional signals" are treated as signposts for what is currently active within us. Without acknowledging the signal, you simply cannot understand yourself.
Beyond that, the logic of CHOICE comes into play—not choosing the emotion itself, but choosing where to focus your attention. In this framework, emotions act as an indicator of that focus. Thus, "being in a great mood" is a choice of where to look, rather than a choice to ignore the indicator.
Consider this simple example.
In the morning, you might read negative news while ignoring life-affirming stories. Your mind then tells you, "I know the truth," based on the assumption that knowing the details of various acts of violence has made you "better informed."
However, choosing to focus on violence completely isolates you from the flow of other information—you learn nothing about human progress or achievements. Day after day, this continues. Ultimately, being "well-versed in violence" means you know nothing about science, technology, culture, or hundreds of other fields.
It is the same in daily life—whatever you talk about consumes you. And so it goes, day after day...
Choosing your focus isn't just about being informed; it’s also a matter of mental health, if you will. This brings us back to the psychological perspective: those who maintain a "healthy choice of focus" always remain mentally healthy. This is easy to verify by asking anyone who is "suffering" what they think or know about the world around them. You will see that "nervous" people consistently choose topics far removed from peace and positivity. They are immersed in such things from morning till night.
So, regardless of what you think of the external world, you always have total authority over what you focus on. Once again: emotions serve as indicators, which is why they should be acknowledged rather than avoided.
