I try very hard to focus on the positives in life….
and try, as much and as often as I can, to nurture and expand on positives.
In spite of that strong commitment, I’ve noticed that if I don’t have an ongoing awareness of the more “negative” thinking, and work to use proactive strategies to cope with that kind of thinking, then life can be a bit like a game of Chutes and Ladders….moving along in a positive direction….then encountering a situation that brings about more negative mind…. and…boom….down that Chute one goes…
And so, I created these “Muddy Dog” pages
to help with increasing the awareness
of when one is in the midst of negative thinking
and to learn to shift out of it.
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I sometimes find it useful to use a bit of humor when I’m trying to learn or to change...
“Muddy Dog Thinking”…a bit like a puppy rolling in the mud…
Becoming more aware of my own negative thinking
and then learning to shift out of it
is a bit tough as it is,
so a tiny bit of humor can help…
and, hence, these pages…”Muddy Dog Thinking”
Brad Warner, the author of the Tricycle article, Thinking Not Thinking , (below) used the idea of “pigs” rolling in the mud…but I found that the idea of pigs less appealing, so I changed it to “puppies/dogs” rolling in the mud.
I also used “muddy dogs,” because I have direct experience with the huge amount of working and effort it takes to clean a dog up after it rolls in the mud…and the damage a muddy dog can do to everything around it…a bit similar to how negative thinking can be damaging both to myself and others.
So, the photos are amusing,
but I know this type of “muddy dog” thinking
can have many unpleasant consequences.
click on images to enlarge, for easier reading
Choosing productive thinking
I made theses pages a few years ago for my own use, but the 10 and 11 year old boys who were then in my class loved those puppies and really got the ideas… it was a great way to help both them and myself become more aware of our “muddy dog thinking.”
Thinking about learning to teach myself to shift out of “Muddy Dog Thinking” is
a bit like putting the mind on a leash,
or sending it to “Puppy Training School”
(I did make the next page for one of my students: he appreciated it!)
And so…
I wish us all progress…
in becoming more aware of our own thinking,
in learning to let go of “muddy dog” ramblings,
in shifting toward more positive states of mind…
and approaching life with that more positive outlook.
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Pocket Perspectives 
Interesting. Hope life becomes less muddy for you. 🙂
I’ve been out of the loop with power outages and conferences… Will catch up on comments soon. TY! 🙂
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Oh, things are clearing up nicely…but it took a few years of effort!…my very own puppy training school.
I hope things slow down for you soon. I read so many wonderful blogs that I tend to lose track of where I’ve been, even without power outages or conferences!
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Wonderful post and pages. When my thoughts get muddy . . . I try not to shake them all over everyone else. 😉
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: ) ….funny image there!
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muddy dog thinking, I like the concept, (~_~) so, on the alternate paw would be… resilience! A dog minds not the mud, in fact it finds a way to make joy out of a sticky situation. The only problem with that is human thinking, now I have to wash the dog, but then again, my kids find joy in doing that task, MUDDY DOG THINKING…that is food for thought, (an inspirational post)
bows (~_~) humble
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Nothing is as it seems?…. it’s all an interpretation or reaction…including mud….. : )
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Very nice Kathy! Yesterday I commented to my mate that I noticed that since I have allowed myself to watch documentaries on horrible crimes, it stays in my mind as it bothers me, eclipsing the good thoughts. I don’t even watch the news, so I should know better than to spend an hour watching negative programming. No more muddy programming for me! 😉
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Thanks Marie. I’ve gotten to the point that I avoid watching anything with violence or crime…certainly limits the tv shows we watch in the evening. I seem to “imprint” too easily, too. Out with the mud! : ) (but those muddy puppies and dogs really are sooo adorable!)
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Muddy Dog Thinking is a great way to be on track of goodness and positive thinking. When we seek to be optimistic, the world around us captures those positive energy and gives people hope that a better day is coming. That we all have chances for love, life and reaching our dreams. Beautiful post!
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That’s my hope…to be more often “on the track of goodness and positive thinking.”….and I love that idea you wrote there…of all of us having the “chances for love, life and reaching our dreams”…thank you… : )
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