Positive Thinking In A Negative World

Positive Thinking In A Negative World

One evening my wife and I were walking through the mall, having a casual discussion about life issues when she abruptly turned to me and said; “I want to go home! You are negative and being out with you is no fun.” That’s when it hit me: I’d become a negative thinker in a negative world. Something began to change in me that sleepless night. It was time for me to return to being a positive thinker even if the circumstances of life, politics, business or relationships weren’t as rose-colored as I’d have wished them to be… My life partner and helpmate was being repulsed by my attitude. It was a wakeup call that changed my life!

Upon honest examination it became clear to me that the difficult circumstances of life and the negative news on TV were permeating my thought life and had changed me into a negative person that was no longer fervently winning others to faith, hope and life abundantly. Examining how this happened and what could be done to expel the toxins of negative thinking in my life and others became my life mission for 2010.

All my life I have been a newsaholic but it never really brought me down until the perfect economic and political storm of 2008-2009. I’ve always believed that being an informed citizen was prudent and healthy for my intellectual growth and decision making. The default channels on my TV became NEWS when the 24 hour news cycle first hit cable in the 70′s. I first began to notice the news adversely affecting my attitude coinciding with the down turn in the economy. By the end of 2009 I found I’d become very negative about all politicians, the future of world government and especially our own nations moral direction and economic prognosis. I was losing hope in our nation’s economic recovery which began to hurt my effectiveness in business. After all, if the dollar was collapsing and the world was ending in 2012, what difference did it make what I did? I became a victim of negative thinking. My personal business set backs were fueled by self fulfilled prophecy being reinforced by the 24 hour news channels always playing on my TV delivering bad news like constant dripping of a faucet in the background of my thought life. It seemed that even the teaching and preaching of many popular bible teachers begin to reflect an end times hopelessness adversely affecting my attitude and zest for life. My right here and right now world was crumbling! That’s when I decided to turn of the news and choose carefully who I tuned my into my mind and TV. This is why I decided to become a positive thinker even if it was

a negative world: My life and future depended on it and so does yours!

Positive thinking is the result of the choices and disciplines of our mind which result in our mental attitude. It is our choice what thoughts and observations we admit and entertain in our thought life. If we chose the words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success the result is positive thinking and positive outcome. It is our mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. It is by raising our thoughts that we raise our potential.

The Bible says in Proverbs 3:27, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” You will eventually become what you think. You can’t think one thing and become something else. If you allow yourself to think negative worried, fearful thoughts, then you will become a negative, worried, fearful person. You cannot think defeat and expect victory. You can’t think poverty, and expect wealth. You can’t think the worst, and expect the best.

You’ve got to be extremely careful and extremely aware about what you allow your mind to think about. And what you choose to dwell on.

Fear is a force just like faith is a force. If you give into fear and start to dwell on that junk and start to act on it, that fear can actually bring things to pass just like faith can bring things to pass. Job said, “the thing I greatly feared came upon me.”

The Bible tells us what we should dwell on in Philippians 4:8. It’s to “think on things that are pure and honest and of a good report.” Things that build you up, not tear you down. Think on all the great things God has done for you, the bible says. In other words, you’ve got to dwell on the positive and not the negative. Quit thinking about what you don’t have and start thinking about what you do have. Quit thinking about what’s wrong with you and start thinking about what’s right with you. Quit thinking about how big your problem is and start dwelling on the fact of how big your God is.

See, we’ve got to learn to live a grateful life and we’ve got to always focus on the positive and not the negative. If you’re continually thinking about the goodness of God, you’re not going to have any time to worry and complain and get down and discouraged. If you’re always meditating on God’s promises, then you’re always going to be filled with a good report. The words that come out of your mouth are going to be faith-filled words. Excerpts from Guarding Your Thoughts — Joel Osteen

Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it. This is a subject that is gaining popularity.

It is quite common to hear people say: “Think positive!”, to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?

The following story illustrates how this power works:

Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.

His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.

During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.

Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.

In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.

He got the job because he made a good impression. He had also of course, the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.

What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind’s eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.

Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference, and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts, and vice versa. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive people and avoid negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive, and they dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

Practical Instructions

In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think they will be attracted to follow when they see it become real in your life.

The Bible has transformed more people than any other book ever written. There is no other book that promises the renewing of your mind. God Himself will transform you by the renewing of your mind by time spent with Him though bible devotion.

Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.

Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.

Stop before reacting to a situation and take a minute to try to rationally think it through before you speak or go off. Count to fifty if you have to or even walk out of the room or take a walk before you react to something or someone. Instead of reacting, be proactive in a situation. Try to think it through completely before tackling the situation with a bulldozer, when all you need is a small shovel.

• Consciously decide to control your attitude. This is a conscious decision since we have free will. You can choose to be negative and think everything that happens is bad or you can choose to see the positive and that there may be a good opportunity that comes from a bad situation. Some of the best ideas have been thought of in times of hard frustration, overwhelming feelings of negativity and depression. People with absolutely nothing but the clothes on their back can be extremely happy in life because of their mindset, while people who own every possible thing in the world remain miserable in a fruitless pursuit where they will never find true happiness, only fleeting moments that are really meaningless and vapid.

• Your attitude really is EVERYTHING. “Attitude determines your altitude” is a very true quote. Your attitude can shape your entire life. If you are always looking at the negative side of life, then that’s all you will see. If you are trying to see the positive then you will see the positive side of life too. If you look at the bright side you are more likely to take positive action and have a positive mindset that will ultimately make your life happier and better for you.

• Find something that will make you happy and make you laugh. Everyone needs to be silly sometimes and act like a kid again. Laughing can keep you on a positive mindset. Watch a funny movie or television show. Spend time playing with kids, making funny faces, running around outdoors and doing whatever else it is that makes you smile. Choose to be happy today. Make up your mind for once and all time to be and stay positive!

Chose your friends and associates wisely. You will become a direct reflection of those who you spend quality time with. I’m reminded of urban kids on a basketball court. When the guys start to talk smack on the court they communicate with a unique slang and lingo found only among a group of guys letting it all hang out. You can watch a naive kid with no experience in the ways of the street join a pickup game and within a few hours he will walk away with an entirely different vocabulary and swagger. We emulate those we admire and spend time with. Junk in will always result in junk out. Choosing positive relationships will always result in a positive impact on your life. You have heard it said that you are what you eat. Well, you are also going to become very much like those who you spend time with.

Positive Thinking in a Negative World begins right here and right now! Take action today and tomorrow will be a better day for you and everyone in your life.

Yours to count on,

Steve Luxenberg
TRUE TEAM
PH: (904) 400-0107

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