Negative thoughts lead to negative reality.
Read that line again. Now read it again. Don’t bother asking yourself how that meshes with what appears to be my typically cynical nature.
The fact of the matter is that I am not referring to the world outside (which offers plenty to be cynical about). I’m referring to the world inside. Inside our heads. You’ve all heard of the Power of Positive Thinking, a feel-good book that does nothing for anyone except the author and the publishing company. I’m not talking about the book, I’m talking about the way we view ourselves.
Friends often tell me I have a very active imagination. And I think I do. But then they compare (or should I say contrast) their own opinions of their imagination. “I have an underactive imagination” they say, sometimes with a frown and more often with a puzzled look on their faces. Puzzled because I think they themselves know it’s a lie, and they’re trying to hide that truth from themselves.
I am constantly stunned by how unwilling people are to admit their strengths. It is almost like they hope that by denigrating their abilities, they hope to avert attention from themselves, trying not to stand up and be counted. I certainly don’t understand it. Yet I digress.
When someone asks you how you are doing, how do you answer? “I’m fine, thanks” or “A little tired” or” I’m okay.” Probably something very similar, if not exact. It’s almost a preprogrammed response to what is effectively a preprogrammed question asked in the interests of politeness, not genuine concern.
Ever asked yourself why you answer that way?
You probably answered that way because it’s the truth. But that in itself is an interesting thing. What if you were to answer “I’m doing great, thanks!”
Magically, it becomes true too. Think about it.
That clears things right up.