How Do You Think??

    So far, I am feeling very upbeat about 2019.  I have projects I am continuing to work on and a few that I haven't attempted yet, but they are on the list!
    How is the new year going for you?  Might I make a suggestion?  Two words: think positive.   A long, long time ago I was taught that thoughts are things.  This is so very true for everyone, no matter your nationality, gender, religion or cultural upbringing.  When we think negative, we attract negative to us.  I've seen it over and over again, the negative thoughts enter in and wham--a locomotive of nothing going right roars by.  Everything that is touched turns to dust.  It's like we put out a curse on our existence.  And that is actually what we did to ourselves.  We prevented anything positive from entering into our life simply by jumping onto the tracks of negativity.   We actually, although unintentionally, created the not-so-nice things happening around us.
     When we think positive, we attract positive situations.  More importantly, we recognize that something positive is present.  Unfortunately, when we think negatively, we are blind to anything positive.  We could trip over a positive and not recognize it for what it is.  Because we are in a negative frame of mind, we just can't see the good.  We have blinders on.
        This morning Joel Osteen was talking about being positive.  Well, actually he does that every week.  But today he was speaking about how we think, and encouraged us to think positive.  This wonderful man's message every Sunday morning is that we must strive to live in a positive state of mind.  I find his teaching uplifting.  I like a positive message.  I walk away feeling like I can conquer any problem that comes along.  
     What earthly good do we gain by thinking negative?  Who wants to roll around in the muck and mire?  I'd rather roll on clean sheets, frankly.  Some years ago I used to teach that when we are presented with a perceived negative event, we are to turn the negative around to the positive.  It's simple, when something lousy is happening, turn it around to the positive.  When the water faucet breaks, adopt a different perspective.  Didn't you want a new fixture for the bathroom anyway?  Well, now you can have it.  So, you burned the dinner.  Now you can out to dinner and be waited on.  Your child missed the bus.  Oh, well, so now you can go shopping after you drop him off to school.  Whatever... You can turn it around to the positive.  
      There is a saying that practice makes perfect.  We have to teach ourselves to think positive.  I put up reminder messages on my bathroom mirror for things I want to improve on.  THINK POSITIVE has appeared on those reminders frequently.  It's a particularly good reminder so that life keeps flowing smoothly.  And when it isn't flowing downstream, I just say, turn it around to the positive.
                                                                      God bless you!!

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