I enjoyed reading your insightful example, Tom. It reminds of something I once read or heard to the effect that "one is not responsible for the thoughts that come into one's head -- only the ones that go out."

There is so much negativity going on around us that it is often difficult to rise above it. I think each person needs to find their own way. For me, much of the path is simply knowing that there is a way and place "far from the maddening crowd" and that I can find it. Sometimes I pray, sometimes I breathe deeply and slowly, seek out some fresh air, or just visualize washing away all the negative thoughts and replace it with the idea of myself as being in a good place with good people surrounding me trying their best to do the right thing. and I somehow find myself with the best that people can be. I have setbacks, to be sure, but having experienced the reality that I create my own reality it becomes easier and easier to keep myself up where I belong :-)

I am definitely a believer in the parallel universes, many dimensions theories -- only I dont believe we need any kind of special machine or energies to travel from one to another. I think its in the very nature of our being and that we are continually forming and reforming our own individual world within the larger paradigm in which we live. If we wish to live toin a clean, healthy, loving, free, peaceful world -- we must form that world within our hearts. We must do everything we can to create that world within and around us.

It cant be done all at once. Just baby steps are needed to begin -- along with a willing heart. Respect the world with all its things, its creatures, our fellow human beings. Instead of anger towards those who harm others, I strive to feel only sadness that these individuals are so trapped within themselves, so cut off from spirit that they spread their solitariness and unhappiness around like plague. and deep within my heart I know that someday their light will shine -- that they also serve as my teachers and I as theirs. I know that only each individual can truly save oneself, make those choices, choose its time ... I am thankful to have learned many lessons thru other's mistakes.

and back to your question -- how can I prevent my negativity in the beginning? My answer would be that you probably cant. But you can choose not to feed that negativity with more negativity. How you do that is up to you. You can remove yourself from the situation and/or you can change your thought pattern and put your mind on a more positive path. Being aware of how and what you are thinking/feeling is most important and sometimes the hardest part. Knowing that you can alter your thoughts, feelings, perceptions, consciously is step 2. Taking steps to do step 2 and making it a habit takes practice and persistence -- but it pays off heartily in the end (pun intended :-) The good news is that the energy coming into earth to help us do steps 2 and 3 is abundant at this time. We can all experience and benefit from, in record time, the lessons that it took lifetimes for our teachers to learn.