Tag: Reality

The Power of Thoughts

Achieving Goals, Happiness, Health, Success

Yesterday it was sunny and around 20 degrees Celsius, so I needed to put suncream on my 5 year old. As I was about to put it around her neck she said don’t tickle me and preceeded to wriggle around on the floor giggling as I tried to put on the suncream. I then had her sit up and take some slow breathes to allow me to try again. She let me put on the suncream and she didn’t feel like I was tickling her.

When she prepositioned in her head that it would tickle, that was her experience.  When she prepositioned in her head that it wouldn’t tickle it didn’t, as much.

A more extreme example can be found in Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search For Meaning. In the book, the author recounts his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp. He describes how some inmates would give up and others would move around helping others where they could, giving away their last piece of bread. The point being, one’s attitude or thoughts in any given situation can bring about very different states of mind.

Our thoughts become our emotions, and our emotions become our experiences, and our experiences, if repeated enough, become our reality; the world as we see it. Our thoughts are very powerful, and we have the power to choose them. So, we have a choice on how we see the world. Empower yourself by selecting your thoughts.

Taking Reality As It Is

Happiness, The Pathway To Fulfilment

When on a spiritual path or the path to self mastery we need to be careful to take reality as it is. We can see life as heaven or hell, depending on how we see our circumstances. Neither of which will necessarily be a true reflection of reality.

We often overlay our past experiences onto what is happening and make assumptions about what people mean or what impact something will have on us. There is much wisdom in the teachings of both religious and secular leaders.

One way of testing if an approach to life is a wise one is whether it makes you happier or not. Wisdom followed correctly should make you happier and your life better. If following a teaching or advice makes you more unhappy, I would argue that it is not wisdom. Wisdom is the root to a happier life.