7.07.2011

The Power of Your Thoughts



"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
-Goethe

Hi Philosophers,

I feel inspired today to write about the power of our thoughts and how they can transform our lives.  I read an emotional letter from someone who is 300 lbs. and wants to change their life but doesn't know how or where to start.  When I was thinking about the best advice I could offer them, I realized the best thing you can do to start the process of change, is to change the way you think.

Look around you.  What do you see?  A computer maybe?  Photos, coffee, a garden, bills, your pets.  Try to detach yourself as you observe the physical environment around you.  Do you realize that every single one of the physical items around you were first a thought in someone's mind?  There is nothing that didn't first start as a thought.  Before they existed, someone used their imagination to dream up a computer.  Someone thought of the design for the coffee mug I'm drinking out of.  I imagined a garden and planted it.  I had an idea for an adventure and took a picture.  I dreamed of getting a puppy, and now have three dogs lying at my feet.  Everything in your world started in your mind, and if you can truly understand this concept, then you have the power to create the exact life that you want, and you will realize that ANYTHING is truly possible.

Human beings are creators.  We create art, build buildings, plant gardens, start businesses, have children, and write novels.  More of us need to get in touch with that creative part of ourselves, and it all starts in your imagination.

We marvel at children and how they imagine the most outlandish things, believing they are possible.  When did we stop believing in the impossible?  When did we stop using our imaginations?  When did we force ourselves to "grow up" and "live in reality"?

I want all of you to start day dreaming again.  I want you all to start imagining your dream life and BELIEVE it is actually possible to attain.  The only thing that holds you back from your dreams is yourself.  Imagine something you want, own it, take that thought, hold on to it, and think about it often.  What you focus on expands.  Take time everyday to visualize your life as you want it to be.  I think you will be surprised when the things you dream of start to appear in your life.

Here are some tips for controlling your thoughts:

1. Think with words that are positive instead of negative.  Eliminate the words don't, not and no from your mental vocabulary.  Instead of thinking, I don't want to be fat, ask yourself What do I want?  Re-phrase your thought to say, I want to be fit and healthy.  Do you feel how that changes your energy?  Instead of focusing on being fat, you're focusing on being fit and healthy.

2. Take time everyday to foster gratitude.  Feeling grateful will change your life.  You may very well heal depression without anti-depressants!  Even if you feel hopeless and want to give up, think of the things you DO have.  Do you have legs to walk?  Do you have food on your table?  A roof over your head?  A safe neighborhood to live in?  At least one person who truly loves you?  A job?  We take so much for granted, when so many other people live with so much less than we have.  If you are reading this, then you have access to a computer.  Be grateful for that too. 

3. Believe.  You must believe that your dreams are possible.  If you doubt yourself, then you are stopping your dreams from happening.  Some people call this faith.  You must believe and have faith that anything is possible.  Do you want to lose 100 lbs. but don't think you can do it?  Instead of focusing on your doubtful thoughts and all the reasons you can't, think of all the other people in the world who have lost 100 lbs.  If they could do it, then why in the hell can't you?

4. Visualize.  Think about your dreams often.  Think about them in vivid detail.  Imagine how your dreams becoming a reality will look and feel.  Try to picture yourself in your new life.  You can even create a vision board if it will help.  For me, it helps to write out my dreams.  You might notice me staring off into space sometimes.  That's because I'm dreaming.

5. Surround yourself with positive, feel-good energy.  This can be the most difficult step to take, because oftentimes, the negative energy in our lives come from the people we love.  We all have a few Negative Nancy's who bring us down and make us feel bad.  Maybe you have a friend who is always dumping their problems on you.  Maybe you have a friend who cuts you down with snide comments.  Maybe you have someone in your life who beats you with their words or their fists.  These people are viruses and they bring sickness into your life.  Even so, it can be hard to cut these people loose because you might feel guilty about mistreating a friend yourself.  What you have to know in your heart, though, is that once they don't have you to mistreat, they will find someone else.  If you aren't there to hear their constant drama or their gossip, they will find someone else to talk to.  And if, God forbid, you have abusive relationships, they will find someone else to hurt.  It doesn't have to be you.  Find positive people to bring into your life.  Watch positive movies.  Read positive books.  Start day dreaming about positive and happy people entering your life and I promise you, they will start to show up.  You're only job is to lift them up too.

I pray that you all take my words to heart.  Your thoughts have a profound effect on your world.  Whatever you want, you CAN have.  Your world is a manifestation of what you think about.  What you focus on expands.  It all starts with YOU.  Control your thoughts and control your universe.

Take care of yourself, Philosophers.

Monica


No comments:

Post a Comment