Are YOU in Control of How You Think?
“It isn't what you have, or who you are,
or where you are, or what you are doing
that makes you happy or unhappy.
It is what you think about.”
-Dale Carnegie
What makes us go in one direction or another.
What makes us believe one thing or another?
The following are all governed by what YOU choose to think about:
God, spirituality, unfavorable circumstances, people’s opinions, and so much more.
Unfortunately, we still find a way to blame everyone else for
our challenges, circumstances and even our ideas. We have the power
to make decisions and choose what we want, yet we allow ourselves to
worry about things we have no control over (time, people, coronavirus, toilet paper etc…). The only person you have full control of is yourself.
I am sad for the families who are dealing with the inability to bury their dead loved ones; to them, I send my sincere condolences. What about everyone else? The people who I hear saying things like, I am suffering. Suffering in my home. Quarantined!
In Victor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning, there is a description of suffering that has had such a profound effect on me that it has left me feeling that in any situation, no matter how awful, devastating and painful, we can still continue to live. The human being can get use to anything and we can still move FORWARD because we CHOOSE to do so.
Reflect on this sobering paragraph to put things into perspective:
“Man’s suffering is similar to the behaviour of (poisonous) gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus, suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little.”
-Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
So, if this is true about suffering then it will be true for choosing one’s thoughts carefully and allowing ourselves to feed on information that will nourish, rejuvenate and restore our soul. While living in devastating environments, we NEED to focus on making sure we continue to bloom, while staying healthy and progressive; like a well-kept garden.
What does this have to do with your voice, EVERYTHING! You give life to what you think about which turns into what you say which activates what you do which turns into how you live…
During this time, PLEASE fill yourself up with favourable hobbies, words, music, singing, stories, movies and especially thoughts.
Take a few moments each day to think about how blessed or lucky you are to be alive and live in Canada. To have food to eat, a place to sleep, a boss who gives you a $2 raise or who says you can stay home. A Prime Minister who says you don’t have to pay your rent or mortgage for at least six months, that the government will help, that you have time to sit quietly and THINK (for the first time in a very long time without interruptions). Yet some will still complain. Some will still say, I’m bored or I wish I could do something else or when will we go back to normal. Normal got us here in the first place.
If we ever put an end to our species as human beings, it will not be through bombs or wars. No, it will be because we cannot live in the moment.
In the future when this time is being studied, I want to be part of the group that took the time to learn, help, share, and most of all love. I want to be remembered as being part of the solution!
So, are YOU in control of how you think?
Take care,
Roxanne Goodman
The Confidence Booster