Let the Sunshine In

James Allen in his book, As a Man Thinketh, writes, “I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn into inharmonious contours. The one is the result of a sweet and sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of passion and discontent. As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity.”

As a Man Thinketh is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.

NOTE: James Allen wrote his book, As a Man Thinketh, in 1903. That was long before scientists began to research the mind body connection. Allen makes the mind body connection and argues that the kinds of thoughts we have will have their expression in our body. From my experience, it’s true. I know many people who are happy, kind, and compassionate. They go about their day filled with joy. They look remarkably younger than those I know who are angry about everything. They are angry about family, politics, and neighbors. Their thinking is written throughout their face. One way of de-aging ourselves is to change the way we think. Let the sunshine in and the years will wash away.