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Stop thinking!
Stop thinking right now.
That's what i tell myself when i have negative thoughts of frustration, stress, depression etc.
That's what i do when i start comparing my life to someone else's
Yes, I actually take a break from thinking and think about what i'm thinking about.
This is because i am self aware and know i am literally what i think.
We are what we think we are.
If you think you can't, then you're right.
If you think you are not good enough, then you won't be.
We are made and unmade by ourselves. All that you have achieved or failed to achieve is the direct result of your own thoughts." James Allen
That statement is so powerful, you should read it again.
I started on this journey to become more aware of my thoughts and how they affect my life when i read a literary essay published by James Allen in 1903, '
As a man thinketh'
This book changed my life and is the best guide i have found that really helped me guide my thoughts in the right direction
The book title is influenced by a verse in the Bible from the
Book of Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 7: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he".
Way #1: Be self aware
Take stock of your thoughts. Basically, think of what you're thinking about.
This book shows how we hold the key to every condition, good or bad, we face in life.
and how, by working patiently and intelligently upon one's thoughts, anyone can remake their lives and transform their circumstances.
It goes further to state, "We attract that which we secretly harbor, that which we love and that which we fear.
We do not come into a pathway in life by the tyranny of fate or circumstances, but by the pathway of our thoughts and desires. Our wishes and prayers are answered only when they harmonize with our thoughts and actions''
The first time i read the paragraph above, it scared me.
It scared me to think that my life, today, is totally and to a large extent, a result of the summation of my thoughts.
All i have achieved or not achieved is a direct result of the way i think.
Finally, I decided not to focus on the past but plan to have better thoughts in the future
Take stock of your thoughts today, work on being conscious of the thoughts that go through your mind on a daily basis, then practice Way #2.
Way #2:Replace bad and negative thoughts with good thoughts
Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results.
Bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.
This is exactly like saying an apple tree can only produce an apple and nothing but mangoes from a mango tree.
We understand this pretty well in the natural world but only a few people understand this principle in the mental world.
Today, there is so much in the media and news that encourage negative thinking and put you constantly in survival mode.
But you can make yourself an exception and not the norm
Choose to see beauty everywhere. I know that might sound cheesy but i love the way Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the New York Times bestseller; Eat, Pray, Love, puts it in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc838mBhPO4
Choose to start thinking better today. Your future self will thank you for it.
Change the way you think. Change your life.
Our inner voice – our belief in ourselves – is what determines our mind-set. And our way of thinking sets us up for failure or success.You have a choice. You can think average and get average results, or think like a champion and reap remarkable rewards.-Lewis Homes
Give yourself a chance to be remarkable.
For more insight on how your thinking shapes your life, please read the literary essay '
As a man Thinketh'
Tomie