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I recently came across a familiar quote that
reflects my own philosophy. Renowned author, businessman and
clergyman, Norman Vincent Peale once wrote: “Change
your thoughts and you change the world.”
In light of the current conflict in our world,
his message can be useful today. Maybe you wonder how your
thoughts really can make a difference in your life and the
lives of others or if that can really happen.
I believe that before you can make any changes,
you need to experience without denial what you are thinking
and feeling. The idea is to get comfortable with those thoughts
and feelings even if it's downright uncomfortable at first.
They are there for a reason and give you valuable information
about you.
If you have a stiff neck, sore joints or a stomach
ache, those pains are telling you something and it's foolish
to ignore them. Only when you recognize and feel what you're
going through, then accept it, will you shift it. If it's
muck, accept the muck, if it's grief, accept the grief, if
ecstasy, accept the ecstasy and so on.
Once you can identify where you are, spend some
time listening to your own thoughts and feelings. What do
they tell you? Do you always foresee the worst? Are you taking
charge or do doubts and fears run your life?
Remember that you are so much more than your
thoughts and feelings. Recognize what they are, don't discount
them and if they aren't compatible with where you'd like to
be, change them.
What we think about a lot has power. Our thoughts
are messages that we give to ourselves all the time. Know
what you are telling yourself. Instead of plugging into the
worst possibilities or outcomes, focus on something else in
your life. A client of mine always worried about the stuff
in her life that never happened anyway. What wasted effort
and energy expenditure to worry about what would never be.
Be prepared to face the life challenges head-on
rather than run from or sugarcoat them. Think up the solutions
or outcomes that you desire to herald in and turn those possibilities
to probabilities with your frequent attention. Know where
you thoughts are and train your mind to work for you rather
than the other way around.
White, 2006.
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