Hello, friends of Unity Joy of Life!

I want to begin today by telling you a story that happened maybe about 5 years ago. I was walking my dogs, Pastor Pippa and Father Frank. Everyday, we would take this one route, and there would be this one part of the route where there would be this big dog - it was a pitbull mix. He would run up to the fence and he would aggravate Father Frank. Father Frank would then run after him and I'd be holding him back and Pastor Pippa back and it was always such an aggravating ordeal. And, on this one particular day, I had just had this conversation with someone and I was all agitated and I thought, "Ok, we're just about ready to get to this one area." I didn't want it to aggravate me more than I already was. And I told Father Frank, "Don't take the bait. Don't take the bait." So as we walked by this dog - and the dog was trying so hard - we walked right on by. Everyone was at peace. Father Frank didn't take the bait. Pastor Pippa didn't take the bait. I didn't take the bait. But then I realized, "Oh, wait a minute. I just had a conversation where I took the bait, and this person had aggravated me!"

My friends, what I want you to know: whoever angers you, controls you. Negativity can only affect you when you react. When you engage with a negative person, you feed them. It's like Harry Potter's dementor sucking the life right out of you.

DON'T TAKE THE BAIT.

Stop allowing them to take such a large space in your mind. Don't match their energy.

So what do you do? One of the things that I do - when there is a negative person or negative conversation that's approaching me - I just stay silent. And then I change the subject. If you argue with a person - if you engage with them - you feed them. So, rise higher. Rise higher and realize that you don't have to participate in that kind of negativity. And once you calm yourself down - they lose their power and your peace of mind then becomes more valuable than anything else.

Your peace of mind is everything. Don't trade it for drama.

Just let go, be at peace, and when you're quiet - they get to be alone with the words they just said. Maybe it reflects back to them. Maybe not, but peace of mind is everything.

So, with that, DON'T TAKE THE BAIT.

Until next week, I'm keeping the faith for you.

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