|
|
| Positive Attitude Tips & Information |
|
||
|
|
Top Three Secrets To Becoming A Better Thinker
We all know there are ways to become a better thinker. We should read more books. We ought to go to lectures and concerts. We need to visit exhibits and appreciate art. We can take classes and expand our horizons through travel. Blah, blah, blah. Those are the easy answers. If we really want to become better thinkers, there are three ways to do it that are guaranteed to get you tuned in to your brain and everything going on in it. Ready? Here are the top three secrets to becoming a better thinker: #1 Interrupt yourself. That's right. The next time you find yourself talking for any period of time, or even thinking about something for more than a few minutes, simply stop. Ask yourself: "Where did this thought start?" "Have I had this thought before?" "Have I already examined this concept at length?" We tend to reiterate our opinions. We repeat ourselves (like I did right there). Imagine all the time we spend on thoughts that just aren't taking us anywhere new and interesting. How many times have you had the same conversation? Make a habit of stopping yourself to check in. Steer your thoughts or your conversation in new directions. Make room for new ideas by recognizing and interrupting repetitive thoughts, and you'll make huge strides toward becoming a more excellent thinker. #2 Appreciate lulls. You know when you're talking to someone, and there's a moment of silence before anyone says anything? Our tendency is to jump in, even if what we have to say is pointless. We talk for the sake of filling up that few seconds of silence to keep that pause from becoming uncomfortable. Next time you find yourself with an unexpected moment of silence, try this: Smile and nod. You'll look thoughtful, and you won't fill the air with silly-sounding expressions of agreement. Once you get good at the smile-and-nod routine, you'll find that you'll use that moment as a way to be open to new thoughts that wouldn't normally have room to sprout through your typical "uh-huh, that is so true" or "yeah, I totally agree with that" comments. Appreciate those moments during the day when you have no choice but to be silent and patient. Waiting for your email to download? Standing in line at the checkout? Riding in an elevator? Fill the lull with observations. Look around. Notice scents. Pay attention to lighting. Listen. Think of these pauses as opportunities to sharpen your senses. Enjoy a Da Vinci moment. #3 Define Your Life Philosophy. Quite frankly, I don't understand how this one gets so neglected in our culture. We do a whole lot of talking about being authentic, honoring our individuality, and finding our true passion. Well, how can anyone be true to themselves if they haven't taken the time to figure out who they are? If you don't know your values and beliefs, you're never going to get to where you think you ought to be. A defined life philosophy serves as a road map. It gives you landmarks to recognize, navigation tools to guide you, and a clear destination. Just like the greatest road trips, you may end up going in a completely new direction that's nowhere on that original map. That's okay. But knowing your starting point is the most crucial part of any journey. Fate, birth, death, love, freedom, responsibility, morality, faith, destiny--these are the concepts we need to explore in order to develop and define our own unique life philosophy. Thinking about these ideas is the coolest thing we can do. We feel alive and connected whenever we dig deep into the Real Stuff. Don't shy away from delving deeply. It's the only way to develop as a thinker and as a human. Take these three secrets--interrupting yourself, appreciating lulls, and defining your life philosophy--and run with them. Pick one as a New Year's resolution and commit yourself to mastering it. Vow to become a better thinker in 2004. It may be your most meaningful--and enjoyable--resolution ever! About The Author Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. This article appeared in the Friday Mind Massage, a free weekly ezine serving up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Where Do You Get A Positive Attitude You Asked? How are you? Where do you get a positive attitude you asked? Changing Negatives to Positives Occasionally people will ask me how I keep a positive attitude, or remain optimistic. I used to find it funny that I would get asked such things. It was as though they assumed that somehow I'd figured a way to avoid allowing any negatives into my life at all. I can assure you I have not :-) Positive Thinking: Polyanna Syndrome Why do we have such a downer on Pollyanna? After all, she is just a little girl with a big dose of positive mental attitude. Instead of mocking, may we should learn something from her. I'm not saying we have to turn into Pollyanna, but when you think about it, positive thinking is the only sensible way forward. Our thinking creates our reality, so isn't it just a bit daft to be creating our reality based on negative thinking? When we realise this, we understand we cannot afford the luxury of negative thinking. Welcoming the Unexpected As I walked my dogs recently on what "should" have been a beautiful and balmy spring morning here in Las Vegas, I was bundled up, head ducked into the wind wishing spring would hurry up and get here. It was a day that reminded me more of mid-December than early May. It also reminded me of how programmed we are to expect things to be predictable (meaning: to be as we want them to be), whether that is in matters of weather or anything else. Life is, by its very nature, unpredictable. And there is no end to the misery we generate expecting it to be otherwise. Success or Failure: How to Cope With Failure There is no such thing as failure ? only feedback ? we can learn from our failures. Do not let apparent failures beat you up, learn from them. As humans, we tend to be harder on ourselves than others are. A small child learning to walk never fails to get up and try and try and try until success is achieved. It is the same in life; every failure is a step closer to success. How To Radically Improve Your Everyday Experience Of Life In Two Simple Steps Can you do something for me? Release Your Agression In Your DIARY OF EMOTIONS In order for you to make positive ground daily you need an avenue of escapism that allows you to shed the emotional baggage that we all carry around with us. The largest and indeed the most dangerous aspect of failure is your emotional status. Thinking About Attitude Attitude, has a way of preening itself, often without awareness of the individual. A posture, a stance, a belief, attitude bestows identify upon us as naturally as air gives life. It is as imperceptible and comes upon us without our knowledge, weaving within the framework of our personality. The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee As if choreographed and rehearsed the night before, one lays witness to the rumble of heels, a sea of italian-crafted, waxed, buffed and protected from any Act of God footwear, tap-tap-tapping down the staircase: the mesmerizing beat of the damned. Simplifying Simple I have a 440-page guide on how to simplify my life, but I haven't found the time to read it. An Exercise To Open Your Mind To Your Possibilities Everything exists twice. First, in your mind. Later, before you in three-dimensional space. A Day in Your Life: 17 Ways to Make it a Special Day A day in your life is a brief and precious time to feel-to experience love, laughter, and wonder, to design and contribute your unique creations and expressions of who you are and what you want to leave behind. Today can truly be a special day in your life. Adding Meaning To Your Life You got up today to go to work, to come home, to battle with the kids, to go to bed. Tomorrow, you'll do the same thing again. If you are struggling with depression, it may be very difficult to find a ways to motivate yourself to go through this role over and over again. It makes no difference who you are. Depression is a disease that effects us without thought of who, what, where or why. But, there is a way to get through the days of depression. Individualized Positive Affirmations for Improving Self-Esteem Positive self-esteem is very important if not crucial to our happiness and well being as a human being. Having positive self-esteem can make the difference in that which we take on in life, in that which we go about achieving and creating. Having positive self- esteem also allows us to have healthy and joyous relationships with others, to experience true intimacy. One could also assert that having positive self-esteem gives us access to genuine spirituality. Poor self-esteem, on the other hand, creates the space for us to experience a great deal of negativity in life including depression, anxiety, fear, stress and loneliness. Negative or poor self-esteem is also highly correlated with alcohol and drug dependency. Some even believe that a negative or poor self-image is the source of such addictions. It?s All About Beliefs Changing your mindset can have a significant impact on achieving your goals. Lessons From Anakin Skywalker: Making Better Choices Through Recognizing And Managing Our Fears In the latest and final Star Wars saga, Anakin Skywalker makes the choice to surrender to the dark side of the force. Thus makes his transformation complete into the evil Darth Vader. This choice is motivated by Anakin's fearful premonition that his pregnant wife Padme will die in childbirth. We watch as the tormented Anakin succumbs to the influence of Chancellor Palpatine who suggests that it might be possible to save Padme using the dark side of the force. What You Can Do As A Non-Raging Mate To Either Fix The Relationship Or Forget It (The following is an actual email conversation between Newton Hightower, Director of The Center for Anger Resolution, Inc., and "Betty" the girlfriend of a rageaholic.) Universal Thought Systems #4 Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System in a positive expansive manner, we must learn to use certain words in our language more effectively. The prime characteristic of the Universal Thought System is its consistency. It may not be used to manipulate. It may not be used to gain an advantage. It treats everyone equally. It eliminates the negative side of opposites. Why is this Universal Language so critical to our progress? In our thoughts and actions, we either seek idols or we seek truth. When wefind the truth all our answers are provided. Truth contains all answers to every problem. Truth has always existed and will always exist. Our beliefs and feelings color our truth. They act as filters between our truth and our illusions. Your Frame of Mind May Determine Your Health The mind absolutely amazes me. It will never be understood, yet it's been said that a healthy body makes the mind work better and it's been said that the mind can destroy the body. I'm sure you've heard about the power of the mind healing the body too. Firewords: A Dangerous Necessity in Your Life? There are many stories of people injuring themselves, and others, with Firewords in the old wild days of entrepreneurship and it is usually passed off as the price that had to be paid in order to win.
|
