Exercising helps me to feel good. I’ve always enjoyed exercising. I like the feel of pushing my muscles through a workout. I like the feel of sweat running down my face. I can be carrying a load of troubling thoughts when I begin to exercise. Somehow, exercising cuts the troubling thoughts down to size. If I’m fortunate, I’ll have a brainstorm that will pop out of out nowhere as I exercise. For me, exercising is beneficial on multiple levels. It helps me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If you’re into exercise, you know what I mean. If you’ve been thinking about exercising, start slow, and find a routine to works for you.
thoughts
Thinking Out Loud ~ What Thoughts Dictate Your Features?
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.
Thinking Out Loud ~ What Thoughts Dominate Your Day?
Our Thoughts Lead to Our Actions
James Allen in his book, “A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.” P. 28
As a Man Thinketh is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
NOTE: Today, carry a notebook with you and once every hour write down the dominant thought that you were thinking about over the past hour. At the end of the day take a tally and see what thoughts dominated your day. Did your dominant thoughts direct your conversations? Did your dominant thoughts direct your actions? If your conversations and your actions are not what you wanted or not bringing you the results you want, both personally and professionally, we have a great lesson here, we can choose to think about something else. We can choose to think about things that are uplifting, inspiring, and elevate us and others.
Thinking Out Loud ~ Don’t Doubt Yourself
You Are the Master of Your Thoughts
James Allen in his book, “As a Man Thinketh, says, “As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.” P. 12
As a Man Thinketh is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
NOTE: it takes heaps of courage to recognize that we are in charge of our thoughts and our actions. When we recognize we are in charge of our thoughts we empower ourselves to move forward in a direction of hope knowing that where we are going everything will work out. We know that we have the power within us to overcome the challenges we will face. We know we can discard any thoughts that discourage us or make us question our ability. Discard all thoughts that do not lead you forward. Embrace all thoughts that empower you.
Thinking Out Loud ~ Awareness of Our Thoughts is a First Step
Becoming Aware
James Allen in his book, “As a Man Thinketh, says, “Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry.” Pp. 10-11
As a Man Thinketh is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
NOTE: When we come to the awareness that we are responsible for our actions and no one else is, we can begin to make decisions that increase our success and happiness. Attributing blame to others for what we do is an excuse where we try to remove responsibility from ourselves. Awareness of our thoughts is the beginning of wisdom.
Thinking Out Loud ~ The Power is There is We Want It
We Have the Power to Determine Our Life’s Direction
Starting today, I am reading the classic self help book, ‘As a Man Thinketh. by James Allen. Allen’s book is considered a classic in the self-help genre.
“As a Man Thinketh” is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
Allen begins his book, “As a Man Thinketh, ““THE aphorism, “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he,” not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.” Pg. 10
Walking is available online and gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
NOTE: Our thoughts have great power over us if we are sleepwalking through life. We may accept someone else’s thought as truth without questioning it. We may act on our first thought as if it is the only thought we have without realizing the possibility of an infinite number of thoughts. If we are awake, we have the power to discard a thought that brings us and other a negative benefit. And, we have the power to choose a thought that serves to bring benefit to us and others. Our thoughts lead us to action and our actions determine our life’s pathway.
Thinking Out Loud
Trust Your Instinct
In today’s post I begin sharing my thoughts as I read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, Self Reliance. Self Reliance can be downloaded for free at qutenbern.org under the titleEssays by Ralph Waldo Emerson. According the American Poetry Foundation, “Emerson New was a England preacher, essayist, lecturer, poet, and philosopher—was one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the 19th century in the United States.”
In his work, Self Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, —that is genius.” P. 110
NOTE: Emerson encourages us to believe in the wisdom of our thoughts. It’s the intuitive sense that assesses the thought and instinctively knows that this thought is the right path. Once our instinct is screaming at us, it us up to us to act upon it. I recall, during my time in academia, searching for a methodology that would benefit one of my doctoral students. I stumbled (or was it serendipity) across a methodology called appreciative inquiry. It made all the difference for my student. And, it made all the difference for me. I made the methodology the central piece of all my research.
Daily Quotes to Brighten Your Journey
Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ It is Possible to be Happy
Happiness often comes from within. Learn how to tame negative thoughts and approach every day with optimism. All humans have a tendency to . . . ruminate more on bad experiences than positive ones. It’s an evolutionary adaptation — over-learning from the dangerous or hurtful situations we encounter through life (bullying, trauma, betrayal) helps us avoid them in the future and react quickly in a crisis. But that means you have to work a little harder to train your brain to conquer negative thoughts. Here’s how:
Don’t try to stop negative thoughts. Telling yourself “I have to stop thinking about this,” only makes you think about it more. Instead, own your worries. When you are in a negative cycle, acknowledge it. “I’m worrying about money.” “I’m obsessing about problems at work.”
Treat yourself like a friend. When you are feeling negative about yourself, ask yourself what advice would you give a friend who was down on herself. Now try to apply that advice to you.
NOTE: If we want to stop the flow of negative thoughts the first step is to become AWARE of what you are thinking. If you’re like me, your thoughts can take hold of you and run off at a 100 miles an hour. Once we become aware of what we are thinking, we can apply the brakes to our thinking and substitute a new thought process. It’s not easy, it is possible. An optimistic thought always feels much better than a negative thought.
Inspiring Quote of the Day ~ Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”
~ Marchus Aurellus
