Why do we need to bury negative thoughts?

Just because something has been difficult in the past (just because you might not have experienced much success with something in the past), does that mean that you will never be good at it?

Just because you are not good at something, is that an excuse to give up? Many times, if you persist or persevere, you can work beyond the difficulties or roadblocks or mental blocks and experience success. Pretty much everybody experiences negative thoughts from time to time, and it's completely normal be frustrated by them.

That being said, the one thing I feel most people overlook, is why we have negative thoughts. Oddly enough, negative thoughts and in fact all human actions typically serve a purpose. In the case of negative thoughts, more often than not that purpose is self defense.

I have these thoughts when I am incredibly overwhelmed, tired, and at your wit's end with whatever project you are on. I know that these negative thoughts I experience are an attempt to protect myself from completely burning myself out and destroying myself from overworking yourself and overly frustrating yourself. Some kinda 'defense mechanism' ala-psychological. This all being said, it might be worth looking at why I work myself so hard, and more specifically what I am afraid of if I allow myself to take a break, recover, and/or occasionally pace myself. Yes, I really love to talk about me and myself and I....

Bored.... looking at the pics taken during our Baguio Tour with some bloggers earlier this year, I saw these pics taken at Camp John Hay. It has a quaint Cemetery of Negativity (also known as The Lost Cemetery) that is really worth a visit. The Cemetery of Negativity is not a normal cemetery. Built by the Americans in the early 20th century, it is a small picket-fenced enclosure with rows of inscribed headstones under which "negative habits and thoughts" (not people) are buried.

Letting negative thoughts affect the goals we would like to achieve is akin to procrastination -- they both will make us regret at the end because we are sure if we overcame those obstacles we could have been more successful. However, we could never bury our head in the sand and refuse to recognize that negativity do exist and its pull can indeed be staggering at times.

Written on the entrance:
"Negativism is man's greatest self imposed infliction, his most limiting factor, his heaviest burden. No more for here is buried the world's negativism for all time. Those who rest here have died not in vain - but for you a stern reminder. As you leave this hill remember that the rest of your life, Be More Positive.
Have a good day! Treat today like its your last though its the first of the rest."  - CJH

Each tombstone in the graveyard is an interesting reminder of the futility of cultivating negative thoughts.

The area is just a small hill and part of the Camp John Hay Historical Core. It looks like a pet cemetery because more of the tombstones are represented with animal figures. It was founded by Major John Hightower.

Back in the 80's, the American soldiers and employees that are stationed at Camp John Hay were asked to think of a negative attitudes. And all those negative attitudes must be buried in the cemetery and to complete the act they even have a mock funeral.

One of the thing we have to understand is that this is all about thoughts -- mental products which even if they are not tangible still have the power to make us freeze. It is a battle in the mind and since it is the mind that is the hub of the body it can immobilize people. Whenever I have negative thoughts I refocus my mind to those things I would like to achieve. It helps to stop for some minutes and try to talk to yourself and appraise the situation. Scold yourself if it is needed -- just don't use a stick to hurt yourself.

Always believe in yourself and focus on your goals, I think that's the best thing we can do on these things.
If you really aim for the gold, go for it. And one more thing.... always please don't forget to pray :)

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