Positive Thinking

Well, I guess this goes along with the fact that until you are aware of what you are holding on to subconsciously/unconsciously, the patterns in your life will continue to run automatically.

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13815141

Part II: Thoughts have the power to effect your health

2009-06-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.examiner.com/x-11317-LA-Spirituality--Psychology-Examiner~y2009m6d8-Part-II-Thoughts-have-the-power-to-effect-your-health

Soft skills update: Developing a winning attitude

2009-06-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=199361

News/Comment & Analysis: The DNA of Survival - Positive Thinking

2009-06-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.whitefieldconsulting.com/wordpress/?p=662

Sheff overcoming his senior moments

2009-06-06T10:38:00.001-07:00

Positive thinking in sports has been a mainstay for quite some time. Even the Olympic athletes are taught visualization techniques.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spminside0512844117jun04,0,5958119.column

Positive Thinking Meditation Video

2009-06-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

A great free tool that anyone can use. ANYONE!!!

http://www.5min.com/Video/Positive-Thinking-Meditation-Video-29760429

The Picture of Success

2009-06-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.healthywealthynwise.com/article.aspx?author=John%20Carpenter%20Dealey&title=The%20Picture%20of%20Success&Article=5699

Coping Skills May Reduce Teen Depression

2009-06-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

The power of positive thinking: even teens can benefit!!

http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20090602/coping-skills-may-reduce-teen-depression

The Power of Positive Thinking - Can we Literally Will Ourselves to Become Well?

2009-05-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

The mind and the body are definitely related and you can use positive thinking to affect your physical condition!!

http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/05/29/power-positive-thinking-can-we-literally-will-ourselves-become-well

A year of positive thinking yields A's

2009-05-28T03:56:00.000-07:00

amazing....

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090528/NEWS01/905280318/1006/A+year+of+positive+thinking+yields+A+s

Response to Kirk on thinking positive.

2009-05-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

You are what you believe...good, bad or ugly
In my nearly 10 years in the professional recruiting industry, its my belief, as its been demonstrated over and over again, that people typically get hired for what they can do, but fired (or promoted) for who they are. However, you cant sit around and 'wish' things were different or 'wish' you felt better. EX: laying on the couch thinking about exercise. "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." - William James What say you? Kirk

Well Kirk, what say me?

This is a topic for serious discussion, I believe. There are several layers here. Let's take a look at them, shall we?

When you say "that people typically get hired for what they can do", what do we mean by this? Is hiring done based upon skill sets, or existing qualifications--or--is does it take into consideration aptitudes and potentials? If hiring were done based upon qualifications, who would be qualified to fill the positions? Who is "born" qualified, or with certain skill sets? People who have just graduated from college or a trade school do not really have experience, do they?

To me, it is a bit like karaoke. All the karaoke/DJ services exist only because there are singer/songwriters who have written and performed their songs in the places where the DJ services now "perform". Too many DJ services being hired means less singer/songwriters honing their craft and creating more music.

I think that we hire not just on what people CAN do, as it is an existing experience, but as an aptitude or as a inner potential. Yet, we then move on to the point of whether or not the person can ACTUALLY "perform as promised".

Then, we get into firing or promoting. And, a lot of this may have to do with politics more than skills, abilities, potentials, or anything else that actually benefits the business. And that, to me, is quite a shame; and, it will probably always be. (not being negative, just realistic).

However, the next point you bring up is an interesting one indeed.

"However, you cant sit around and 'wish' things were different or 'wish' you felt better. EX: laying on the couch thinking about exercise. "....

I'm not a fan of "wishful thinking"; yet, I do think positive thinking does have benefits that are long reaching and often-times not immediately measured. By this, I mean that wishing for a different result while still maintaining the previous consistent subconscious negative programming will probably not bring about a different result than previously experienced. However, if we can change the internal subconscious programming to a more resourceful and serving perspective, great and incredible positive changes can be had.

Much of what goes on in our lives is the reflection of what is going on in our minds. To know what someones consistent thought patterns, beliefs, values, and internal represenations are, it is said that all we have to do is to look at the life that person is living. The external is a reflection of the internal. So, those consistent (and internally congruent) positive thoughts CAN help to bring about major positive change. The changes generally manifest themselves in many ways.

For example, if one were to VISUALIZE (not wishful thinking) having the physical body that they desired to have AND internalize this picture in such a way that it were aligned with their consistent subconscious thought patterns, some changes might be: the urge to actually begin that exercise program, the urge to eat the right foods, the urge to walk instead of drive, etc.

Obviously, it is up to the individual to listen to those "urges" and follow through on them. But, the urges (intuitions?) could very well not have been created by the subconscious mind without the visualizing (positive thinking?) being performed.

Of course, this is a quick look into this timeless principle. However, I think that it is completely in line with the wonderful quote from Mr. James: "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." - William James .

Because it is through the power of the mind (altering the attitudes) that one begins the process of altering ones life.

To learn about improving your intuition, check out: http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Intuition&id=2346368.

Laughing Back To Health

2009-05-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

Remember Dr. Norman Vincent Peale? Here's some interesting information you may not have heard about.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104139384

How Far Have We Come? Not Far Enough--Robin Sax

2009-05-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Posted on three of my blogs--read, very informative!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-sax/how-far-have-we-come-not_b_205332.html

God, the Fine-tuned Universe and the Emergence of Life

2009-05-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Here's some scientific and theological information regarding a bit of this subject. Good reading!!

http://globalpolitician.com/25607-god-life-universe-anthropic-religion

Duality or Just BS?

2009-05-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

While I've never heard anyone say "think negatively", it does seem a bit curious that we rarely look at the duality of thought. It may be even safe to say that most people aren't even aware of duality--in any area of life.

Duality, one way of stating that everything has a polar opposite, is part of the Universal make-up of things. Everything has its seemingly opposite side. By seemingly, I mean that it is our own perceptions that make it so. We cannot have an up without a down, a black without a white, a here without a there, and so on.

With everything being connected, and part of the same "thing", however, all of these "opposites" are really just perceptions of the same thing. One of the reasons for this might be that we have created boundaries through the socializing that takes place as we mature (as both individuals and societies)--programming from our parents, teachers and the environment.

We could spend countless hours discussing the manners in which this takes place; but, I think it is sufficient to say that we this happens, and that it definitely affects our perceptions. And while each of us are unique, in our own special way, there are certain perceptions that we all commonly share. And, in these areas, we have learned to apply "right" and "wrong"--or--"good" and "bad".

Now, the perceptions that we share, and the perceptions that are our individual perceptions, are both tied in with how we see the world and what is happening. I do not necessarily see things in exactly the same way as you--just as you do not see things in exactly the same way as me. Through the filters in our brains, mostly unconscious, we see things in the manner in which we have been "programmed" to see them.

After an event of any kind, ask ten people who were there what happened and you will get ten different versions of the same event. There may be some similarities, yet, the story of the event will vary based upon each person's perception.

Why does any of this matter and what does it have to do with duality or positive thinking? Well, it matters because all things just "are". They have no meaning except for the meaning that we assign (or give) to them. Nothing in the Universe has meaning. We give it meaning. So, we are the ones who determine "good", "bad", "black", "white", "right", "wrong", etc.

For example: Suppose that you have been looking forward to having the weekend off. You have planned an outdoor family get together, perhaps a cookout. Now, the weekend comes, and, BAM!!--it rains during your cookout. Bad, right? Not a good outcome for your cookout.

However, if you are the farmer whose crops need the rain to grow, your perspective is completely different. You have been waiting for that rain to come. You need it so that your crops can grow and you can earn money to provide for yourself and your family.

And, what about the person dying from thirst? How would that person view the rain?

I'm sure that you can agree that this is a simplistic explanation of this concept. We all know that these things make sense. Yet, how many times have things happened to us, and we then worked ourselves up into a really bad mood? It's almost a natural reaction.

One of the main points of this "lesson" is that we oftentimes need to look at things from a different perspective, a different angle--in order to appreciate this duality and realize that it is neither good nor bad. It just is.

My dad used to tell me, when we were playing chess, that he sometimes look at the chess board from above--things look different when you're looking down at them from above. I think that it was sound advice for chess playing, and, I also think that it's sound advice for life.

When things don't seem to "go your way", look at it from another angle, another perspective; and see if you can find the lemonade in the lemons.