I totally agree. These are the types of concepts that should be a regular part of the curriculum in any school system. Academic knowledge is important, but keeping yourself in the right state of mind is critical – no matter how much education you have. Thanks for your comment!

Regards,
Tom Eng
http://www.helpspotlight.com

Thanks for sharing that point of view of looking at this idea. Each person can “get their head around” something in a way that is specific to them, and your image is a unique way of looking at this concept.

And for the idea that negative consequences may come to visit when we’re in a great upbeat mood.

Another image that describes the consequences of our thoughts/feelings/actions is the idea of branching paths.

Every choice of thought, feeling, or action is like taking a step down a different path.

I can be as happy as I want tomorrow, but if I turned onto a certain path yesterday, I may find trouble.

Joel

@Todd – Thanks, Todd! I always value your opinion!

@Aggie – Yes, it can be especially hard to focus on the good when things are hectic/frustrating/fearful, etc. However, that is when we need the MOST to focus on the positive. I find that my faith that thinking/feeling/acting positive will bring me what I want gets me through the rough spots, even if it is sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

@Sunnyray – When we toss a boomerang out there, it will indeed go flying through other thoughts, and attract more of the same. All the more reason to only throw the good thoughts out there, because then you not only get back your own positive stuff, but similar circumstances as well.

Great comments – thanks for participating and adding to the conversation, everyone!

BUT — when it is that stress stuff – Eewww — Here is the mistake I can make with that boomerang — I try to ignore it – I don’t catch it but it doesn’t go away instead it gets stuck around my neck!

I know that well from this last bout of sinus stuff I had going on… It stayed stuck with me for weeks!

I need to remember to catch all the boomerangs and make peace with them. Yup – I threw that one out there – okay – not a big deal – I can change it and throw out a more productive one….

Given the amazing power of our thoughts, it’s probably a GOOD thing that we can only hold one at a time.

Can you imagine the anarchy??

You are absolutely right – positive thoughts create positive lives, just as negative thoughts create negative lives.

Just by reminding ourselves of these concepts more frequently, we would all start to feel better about life in general. Not everyone needs to turn into a motivational speaker or anything, but no one enjoys feeling bad, so why not take the steps to feel good instead?

Thanks for the comment, Brad, and for sharing your article.

A hearty welcome to Today is that Day, and thank you for sharing so many of your thoughts!

I like the idea of taking a step to the side – physically, if necessary – to acknowledge the fact that we have manifested something undesirable, and then deal with it in a manner that is more pleasing than we felt before.

Often, just the conscious realization that we have put ourselves into a negative set of circumstances is enough to break us out of the rut of continuing to create more of the same.

Thanks for sharing, Erin, and again – welcome!

That’s a great concept! Whether it is a small donation to charity, or anything that will give you a happy, upbeat feeling – even for moment – it is often enough to turn the tide back in our favor.

Thanks for sharing that!

Here is a recent article I have written on the same subject:

http://juiceofchampions.com/home/positive-thoughts-produce-positive-lives-3

This is my first comment on this blog, and I’m very thankful to have found you all.

This truly is a quandary for people that first start taking responsibility for all that happens in their lives: the good, the bad, and the indifferent.

Their immediate reaction is to freak out a little bit … saying: I can’t control my thoughts every second of every day … and it gets to the point where they start literally counting their negative thoughts … marking them down on tick sheets and the whole bit.

I know this, because not too, too long ago, that’s exactly what I was doing!

One technique that I learned from my mentor, David Neagle, is to physically take a step to the side, and say to myself: Isn’t this interesting!

This allows me to acknowledge that I’ve manifested an undesirable situation, take responsibility, but also objectively look for the greater lesson. Then, the more challenging the situation, the greater reward, as I can view it as a new opportunity to step over another “success line”.

Anway, I could go on and on here, but I just wanted to thank you all for your thoughts. I’m going to subscribe to the RSS fee straight away!

Warmly,
Erin.

Erin Thoms Melnick
Modern & Millions Maven
http://www.crosscountrytour.com

Just kidding! I’ve been working over the last couple of years to change some of the negative thought patterns I used to engage in all the time, and I do find my life going more smoothly now.

What I struggle with are those times when three or four negative events come up in a row. One of the things I’ve started to do is immediately go online and make a small donation to a charity. Then at least I can FEEL better, if only for a moment.

I LOVE what you said about guidelines instead of deadlines. That is a much better way to think about the whole thing, and the way we think powers the way we feel, and on it goes down the line.

I know there have been times when I felt pressured to write in some definite time line, and I totally struggled. However, once I released my attachment to getting it done, then the creativity started to flow again.

It’s amazing how that works.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jeannette, and for your visit!

It made me think about the term itself: “deadline.” That’s not the most fabulous-feeling word, is it? As I recognized nothing good was going to happen while stressed out, I decided to just forget about the “deadline” and let it unfold perfectly. Since it is always that (I just forget sometimes).

It turns out my editor was flowing some very similar stuff (no content turned in on time) – so no wonder.

From now on, I’m thinking of “deadlines” more as “guidelines,” and if I miss out on something, then I’ve simply been spared!

What’s worked out is that the piece I’m turning in today (four days late) is much more in line with what she wanted than the original one I was struggling with. And having three clients cancel this week turned out perfect for allowing extra time to write! And I don’t normally look at client cancellations as good things. lol

Pleasure reading you, Aaron, as always.

Each of our tests make us better prepared for future events, so they are something to be grateful for!

I try to remind myself that tough times are only tests, and they’re easy to pass if you know what to do. Just being optimistic and staying strong is the way to go.

Great article, keep it up!

My recent experiences were also based largely on similar concepts to what you talked about – looming deadlines, a perceived lack of time, etc.

Yes, discipline does enter into it, and staying “on task” is important and necessary. At the same time, not focusing on our perceptions of negative things happening due to an apparent lack of time is equally important.

As you say, relaxing back into the flow.

p.s. – I’m a Sci-Fi fan as well, and there is SO much out there to potentially park it in front of the TV over. I allow myself a reasonable amount of time to do just that so that I never feel like I’m not getting any “play time”.

That’s a great point. Most of the conscious creation teachers will advise that you recognize a negative thought for what it is, and then move on. Don’t ignore it, but don’t dwell on it, either.

Thanks for bringing up that important distinction!

Boy, do I ever know what you are talking about.

As much as I think the good thoughts and ask questions like “How can I make this happen?” old thought patterns still creep in. Less than they use to, but they are still creeping in.

Most recently it’s revolved around time, perception of the lack of time, not getting everything done in time, things taking more time than planned and all this seems to be when I allowed myself to take time away from meditating and, I admit it, watch TV. (Stargate Atlantis, The Tudors, The Wire and now Battlestar Galactica is about to start it’s final season.) The hazards of my job, working for a major cable provider, is free TV and movie channels. Did someone say self-discipline?

Well, those moments of self-indulgence have been replaced with more focus, but those aligators (deadlines) are still snapping at my rearend and I’m just tending to the closest one until the time buffer expands a bit. (Heavy sigh)

Now it’s time to relax back into the flow.

Oooohhhhmmmmm

One of the things that’s important to remember is to not be negative about the negativity. So many people (I was one of them!) when they are first introduced to the principle of our thoughts becoming things end up even more negative – because it’s the first time they’ve really seen just what they are doing to themselves. So it’s important to remember – beating on yourself for having a negative thought can often be worse than the original thought itself!

Thanks for another great post, Aaron.