For those of you following along with this year’s book “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers, PhD, here’s a bit of Chapter 5 (‘Pollyanna rides again’).
In this chapter, Dr. Jeffers talks about positive thinking…that we create our own reality with our thoughts and attitudes. In her workshops, she energy/muscle tested participants when they stated “I am a weak and unworthy person” and again when they stated “I am a strong and worthy person.” In every instance, people tested strong when they stated the positive statement and weak when they stated the negative statement. Even when she left the room and had the audience determine which statement the person would think, she would come in to test the person and still receive the same results.
We’ve all heard or even said that thinking positive is not being realistic. And yet, as she points out, if we were to think back on all the things we fretted and worried about, how many of them truly turned out negatively? If we answered honestly, we’d find that most things turned out positively…or what seemed like a negative outcome turned into a positive.
For example, in 1992 I ran for County Commissioner in Florida and campaigned for over 9 months. I lost the election…HOWEVER…I wound up being hired to work for the County, which paid $15,000 more a year than the CC job AND I avoided having to deal with all the politics of being a commissioner. So in the end, what looked negative turned into a great positive.
We often take issue with positive thinking because it looks like we are in denial of reality. To quote Dr. Jeffers:
“Positive thinking in its most constructive form does not deny the pain and suffering that exist in the world. …What positive thinking does is offer a power boost to help you handle whatever life gives you.”
Regardless of the situation or “bad break”, our strength and positive thinking puts us in a “position of power…the kind of power that really can make things happen.”
For this month, and beyond, let’s adopt and put into practice her positive affirmation:
I am a strong and worthy person
Happy Coloring!
joyfully,
Maureen, The Mandala Lady
Be sure to download/color the May 2012 Mandala of the Month.
Mandala of the Year 