
Does positive thinking work? No, it doesn't if that’s all you’re doing — thinking positive thoughts. Many have taken a shortcut version of Norman Vincent Peale’s stance on the power of positive thinking and have tried to change their lives dramatically by thinking positive thoughts about some part of their life they want to change. When it didn't work, they gave up or became one of those people who snort derisively when the idea of positive thinking is brought up.
The first chapter in Peale’s well-known book is titled “Believe in Yourself.” Why do you think this was the first thing he talked about? It’s because your belief system about yourself is made up of thoughts and feelings you have accepted about yourself. These attitudes influence everything you do. They are not just random thoughts. They are thoughts with strong, dominant feelings attached to them! Unless you address the feelings you have about yourself, if you just ignore their existence, it won’t matter how positive you convince yourself you are about some goal. Under the surface of your conscious thoughts, all those garbage thoughts and feelings will be doing their work.
Another chapter is titled “Expect the Best and Get It.” I’ve often heard people parrot the phrase “expect the best,” who apparently think that if you just say what you want and expect to get it that it will magically appear. Oh, it may appear, but there are other things at work before it does even if you’re not aware. A belief in the idea that you are established in the unlimited substance of God and need only “ask, believe, and receive” is forming. You are releasing garbage ideas about yourself; you are imagining yourself with what you want; you are creating feelings that will join with your thoughts to manifest what you desire.
There is a Universal system in place that will take you where you want to go, but it works a lot faster if you recognize that you have to make an investment in what you want through BOTH your thoughts and feelings.
©Williamsen
The first chapter in Peale’s well-known book is titled “Believe in Yourself.” Why do you think this was the first thing he talked about? It’s because your belief system about yourself is made up of thoughts and feelings you have accepted about yourself. These attitudes influence everything you do. They are not just random thoughts. They are thoughts with strong, dominant feelings attached to them! Unless you address the feelings you have about yourself, if you just ignore their existence, it won’t matter how positive you convince yourself you are about some goal. Under the surface of your conscious thoughts, all those garbage thoughts and feelings will be doing their work.
Another chapter is titled “Expect the Best and Get It.” I’ve often heard people parrot the phrase “expect the best,” who apparently think that if you just say what you want and expect to get it that it will magically appear. Oh, it may appear, but there are other things at work before it does even if you’re not aware. A belief in the idea that you are established in the unlimited substance of God and need only “ask, believe, and receive” is forming. You are releasing garbage ideas about yourself; you are imagining yourself with what you want; you are creating feelings that will join with your thoughts to manifest what you desire.
There is a Universal system in place that will take you where you want to go, but it works a lot faster if you recognize that you have to make an investment in what you want through BOTH your thoughts and feelings.
©Williamsen