Thoughts become things
“Because you are worth it”. That’s what a hair product advertisement proclaimed a few years ago. They were not lying and it was a great tagline. I have always wanted to use it somehow. Let’s examine what it means and why it works. Firstly it seems to answer a question. There appears to be a ‘why’ in there. It beautifully enhances your self worth, it’s like a delicate caress of gentle flattery. And most importantly because deep inside we are all insecure and need the external approval for most things. It is also a bit shocking because we are all conditioned to think the we are in no way special, we are simply small cogs in a big wheel, unrecognised and faceless little ‘sheople’ in the giant herd - hence unworthy of anything special and doomed to bumble along at the fickle mercy of luck.
That, my friend, is about to change.
Why - Because YOU ARE WORTH IT. Because you owe it to yourself and to this world to feel good and to lead a life filled with positive energy and overflowing with fantastic experiences.
How about that? Now let’s be clear from the start. I cannot make this happen to/for you. You will not become enlightened and your life will not become a movie script simply by reading this article. This is supposed to be a start. Maybe even THE START - you never know. I am simply offering you an option to start thinking for yourself.
However; I do know that these principles have been personally tested by myself and I can vouch for their effectiveness. They will work if you do the work! Your ability to reach your potential is a function of your own imagination. This works it terms of all of your dreams, goals and targets, be it in the realm of health, wealth, relationships, adventure or sports performance.The most important thing for you to realise is the WHY.
Why would you want something else than what you currently have? There must be a clear reason for you to undertake a process that leads change. Your WHY is what arouses your interest enough to learn about what you are trying to change. The WHY is also what gets you started in the practical application instead of just talking about it. The WHY is the burning desire that keeps you going even when you are frustrated by external conditions or your slow progress.
What - We spend our days and nights thinking. It has been shown that our prevalent thoughts manifest in our lives. I am sure you know people who always complain. They complain about the bills, health problems, problems at work, relationships and even the weather. Their life is an unending stream of misery. This is because they will it to happen by constantly wallowing in their own misery. There are also people who seem to “have it all”. They lead a life of satisfaction and abundance. No, they didn’t just get lucky. See, luck as you think of it doesn’t exist. Random chance didn’t bring about good or bad luck. You have the power to create your own luck. True, the mind is a weird beast and it seems to gallop in random directions on its’ own accord. As you would tame a wild mustang, you must somehow gain control of the mind and slowly create the trust and friendship that allows you to educate it and lead it down the road that you want it to go.
How - Time to take control of your head and thought processes. You need to learn to meditate. You don’t need to move to Tibet and sit on the mountain side in orange robes with a shaved head, unless you want to. There are numerous modern day equivalents that will get you started on the path to calming your mind. Remember that this is a process. It is a relatively simple process takes practise and dedication, just like anything else. Some of us have more baggage than others. Some have thought processes more ingrained than others. Therefore the process will be different for everyone and no universally applicable formula exists. I guess the first step is to try and be friends with yourself and to become comfortable in spending time alone with your thoughts. Again, not easy for some. When the word meditation comes up, some get scared because they simply don’t know how to get started. Here are a few practical things to try.
- Headspace App for your smartphone Is an easy to follow guide that gets you started on the right track and enables you to learn the basics.
- “The flame meditation” is good for those with lots of negativity and even depression
- Walk in the nature and relax
- Be aware of your physical actions
- Focus on the things you WANT and stop complaining
- Express gratitude
- Be kind in actions and words
- Make decisions and stick with them
- Be open to consider spirituality in one form or another
None of the above techniques will may you a modern day buddha, but these are the little steps that can help you get started in actively choosing and guiding your own thought processes. In a way the mind is like a muscle - just like creating a strong body takes time, effort and diligence, so does your mind.
Take Home Message - Your focus determines your outcomes - What you deposit is what you can withdraw. Always.