As A Man Thinketh...

[DC]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Hey DC whazzup?

Hey there Britisha [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Nutten much. Just here there and everywhere. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

many of us do NOT reach our full potential for we are not utilising all that we have.

And I agree..

I like the prevailing thought throughout the posts(and articles-very interesting articles BTW Mr CEW [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ) that we have the choice(The power of the mind) to be who we want to be, what kind of day we want to have, what kind of attitude we will display in a particular situation(as WorshipRaiser pointed out) etc. Solomon was just merely pointing out how our thinking pattern is of great importance in this development. Yes, it is necessary to be aware of our "self-talk" or subconcious messages/statements we give ourselves. Are they thoughts/assumptions that are portraying an irrational belief based on a negative/painful experience? It is easy to blame others for our bad days and bad attitudes(as the Power of the Mind article pointed out) but it is our faulty and irrational thinking that causes us to perceive and approach life in that manner. I guess it is easier to blame others than look at ourselves, huh?o/

Attitude is comprised of our thoughts,feelings and thirdly our behavior. When our thoughts and feelings are positive then naturally our behavior is positive. We have greater influence and success with other individuals when our intentions are perceived as positive. No wonder it is important to know who we are(healthy self concept),then our attitude will be as such-even when environment, situation or people are dictating otherwise. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

DC: I think for the most part, we do not understand the power of choice. As others have stated, it is far easier to think negatively, than it is to raise our level of thinking and take control of our thought process. Yet, it seems to me that if we fully understood the downside of negative thinking, some people would think twice about doing so.

From my experience, it is extremely difficult to be friends with someone who seems to see the cup as half-empty all the time. I find it sometimes so mentally, physically, and emotionally draining that I have often wondered how do they handle all that is going on within.

In the book "Oppsites Attract", author Tim LaHaye listed the following illnesses as being "emotionally induced 60-85%" of the time: "Ulcers of the stomach and intestine, colitis, high blood pressure, heart trouble, stroke, arteriosclerosis, kidney disease, headaches, mental disturbances, goiter, diabetes, arthritis." Scientifically speaking, obviously we can think ourselves sick, or to death, literally.

In the previously mentioned article on the "Power of the Mind", the author states: "Too frequently, people believe that they can't have an impact on their lives, that they are just helpless victims of fate or of other people's behaviors. The truth is, however, that we have the choice available to us to be responsible for our lives." I guess my question here is this: Based on the comments in your last response, do you think it is primarily an unhealthy perception of self that causes some to seem predisposed to thinking negatively?

One of the things I have thought about over the years watching some people like that, is that there seems to be a victim's mentality that prevails. Somehow negative talk, actions and attitudes, brings them attention and in some cases affection, and this type of negative reinforcement seems to 'feed' the perpetuation of that behavior. No matter how much another person tries to show them that the cup is half-full, they simply refuse to see it that way.

I am thinking there is a lot of truth to the saying: "Our attitude determines our altitude." If a person thinks life sucks, then chances are good that is exactly what they will experience. The sad thing is that once negative thinking bears fruit, some of these folks will say: "See, I told you this/that would happen." That also allows them to remain the way there are - still with that victim's mentality.

Let me just say that to a certain degree, I am ruling out people who may be clinically depressed as that is a somewhat different - though related - subject.

As you can tell, I am intrigued by this topic.

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Some more thoughts...

The Mind-Body Connection

Edgar Cayce stated, "The spirit is life. Mind is the builder. Physical is the result." Cayce, like many others, believed that what we think is what our body generally becomes.

What we have learned is that the mind is the controller of all behavioral and physical functioning, and that the power of the mind can intentionally or unintentionally affect both the energy body and the physical body. In other words, we can make ourselves healthy or sick through our thoughts and our emotional reactions to those thoughts.

Since those early research studies, more comprehensive studies have taken place to further the understanding of how the mind influences our physical well-being. These studies are validating the premise that there is a direct correlation between personality, thoughts, emotions, and illness. What has been discovered is that our thoughts and emotions are intertwined, and both play a significant role in the development of disease. If our thoughts are charged with positive energy, then we are emotionally optimistic about life, and we experience an overall sense of wellbeing. If our thoughts are negatively charged, then we rob the physical body of the energy it needs to maintain balance.

Negative thoughts provoke negative emotions: fear, anger, frustration, worry, resentment, and guilt -- all of which have an undesirable and potent effect on our ability to fight off disease and infection. Negative thoughts wear down both the energy system and the immune system, leaving a person more susceptible to illness. Those same studies show that prolonged stress also wears down both the energy body and physical body and consequently impacts why people become ill and why they do not heal.

To better understand the mind-body connection, it helps to remember that the human brain is electrical in nature. It communicates its messages to specific sites in the body by sending electrochemical impulses via the central nervous system. These electrochemical impulses and the information they contain activate cellular memory and tell the cellular structure within that specific area of the body how to reorganize itself according to the information being received. If a person is thinking a negative thought, that consequently creates a negative emotional reaction. Then, the brain responds by changing the chemistry in the electrical impulses it sends to the body's systems. These changes in chemistry are what alert the physical body that there is a problem.

Let's say that people's thoughts continually dwell on being sick and tired of their lives. The electrochemical message sent from the brain to the body is that they are sick and tired. If the thought is emotional and is strongly supported, then the body intensifies its reaction by feeling sick and tired. The stronger the thought, the stronger the chemical reaction, and the greater the chances for severe illness to occur. Understanding how the mind electrochemically dialogues with the body makes it easier to see the direct correlation between state of mind and physical health.

It is important to note that not all thoughts -- even those that have a slightly negative undertone -- cause illness in the body. If our thoughts are positive and produce positive emotional reactions, then our physical body will continue to function as a healthy, vital unit. It is only the thoughts with strongly negative charges that affect the body and make it susceptible to disease.

Source: Personality Making You Sick?

[jcanseabee]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Hello All, Long time no post:

This is a really interesting post, and I like all the perspectives. Another factor in what we think is what we read, what we watch, what we listen to.

I recently had a serious look into my life, and realized that I was spending entirely too much time reading and watching things that had no uplifting value whatsoever. The old saying that the devil finds work for idle hands surely applies to idle minds as well.

When I have hidden the word of God in my heart, it pervades my thoughts even when things seem to be at their most hopeless.

[DC]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

So true Christian Sailor! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
What we allow to enter our minds influences our thoughts one way or the other and consequently, our behavioral patterns. It is important to note the things we allow our minds to dwell on. As the article[and Britisha] clearly pointed out, our thoughts not only affects our emotional life but our physical lives as well. You know, I believe positive confessions has its place but real change occurs from within, and sometimes unless we are truly aware of these self-defeating messages that reflect illogical assumptions we will never experience real change.

I think for the most part, we do not understand the power of choice.

True. There is more to this verse of Scripture than meets the eye. Your article talks at length about personality and I guess Solomon was emphasizing that in the “so is he” We will determine if we want to stay flawed in our personalities or do we want to move on to wholeness in our personalities(God’s original plan and purpose). If we want to change our selves, we have to change our thinking first.
Good stuff!

Based on the comments in your last response, do you think it is primarily an unhealthy perception of self that causes some to seem predisposed to thinking negatively?

I think most negative experiences allows us to find faults with our selves in the unconscious ,and sometimes, conscious level-eg.‘I could have done better, ‘I should have done this’, ‘I could have done more’ and inadvertently the message is ‘I am not good enough’. IMO, that is the subconscious message. This impact is even more pronounced in the impressionable minds of young children.

We learn something about ourselves from these negative experiences and take those unconscious messages and somehow use them to formulate our self concept. Those who have the propensity to negative thinking, finds it very difficult to erase this message and as a result, behaviors will follow to justify those self defeating “self-talk”. It takes considerable effort to think, feel and act positive on a consistent basis.
When we have mastered that situation and have developed a healthy self concept in that part of our thinking process,then another experience occurs to remind us that “ we are not loved as we should’ or ‘I am not as brave as I thought I was’ etc-all pointing back to how we feel about our selves. Self talk or unconscious messages usually derives from a generalized concept of the self. It is just a matter of developing the areas of poor self-esteem and feelings of inferiority so that our self concept can be optimal in its functioning in all situations. It is a continous growth to wholeness. So in essence, I am saying "yes" to your question. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Of course, we take into consideration that there are emotional problems that have its roots in a physiological source(shizophrenia, chemical imbalances, learning disabilities etc.)

Pretty informative articles! and Opposites Attract-a very good book! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Originally posted by DC:

I think most negative experiences allows us to find faults with our selves in the unconscious ,and sometimes, conscious level-eg.‘I could have done better, ‘I should have done this’, ‘I could have done more’ and inadvertently the message is ‘I am not good enough’. IMO, that is the subconscious message. This impact is even more pronounced in the impressionable minds of young children.

We learn something about ourselves from these negative experiences and take those unconscious messages and somehow use them to formulate our self concept. Those who have the propensity to negative thinking, finds it very difficult to erase this message and as a result, behaviors will follow to justify those self defeating “self-talk”. It takes considerable effort to think, feel and act positive on a consistent basis.

Thanks much for the great insight! My mind goes back to hearing umpteen times about the language parents use to their children, without being fully aware of how what is being said is being received. One of my professors related an incident in which a 'very beautiful' teenage girl locked herself in her room for a year because she thought she was ugly. During counseling sessions, he found out that during the first year or so of her arrival in Canada, she was often teased - by her parents as well - and though she ignored it initially, something eventually 'snapped' and she believed what she was told. She covered all the mirrors in her room, and despite a priest, pyschologist, and others coming to her residence, she would not leave the room. Her parents and some of the teasers said they only teased her in jest, but according to the girl, when we teased someone she told them she was only joking. In her case, no one had said that to her so she figured it must be true.

I am reminded of the saying that if you tell someone something often enough, they will start believing it. Telling a child s/he is no good, will never amount to anything, dunce, stupid, foolish, and so on, certainly seem to stick with those whose personality type does not allow them to allow such comments to not grow and fester into something else. Yet even in this thread, I can only hope that if anyone is reading that is guilt of speaking to a child in that manner, that they will become aware of how damaging such words are to the impressionable - and somewhat fragile - psyche of a child.

That some adults still struggle with childhood 'definitions/labels' has to be one of life's biggest tragedies. In some case, some have become alcoholics, abusive, drug users, committed suicide, and so on, or are just plain miserable on the inside, regardless of how they may appear on the outside. I guess for me this raises another question: At what point does someone take responsibility for themselves? I can appreciate that one first have to recognize/acknowledge there is a problem, but in your experience, are most people simply in denial, or are they just too comfortable with using their past experiences as an excuse for their passivity?

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

While waiting for DC, another article of immense interest by a Derek Johnstone:

The Power of Positive Thinking
Most of us don't spend much time thinking about the way we think. But thinking is a habit, and the way we talk to ourselves in our minds is a habit. Bad habits, such as negative self-messages and put-downs, get bad results: low self-esteem, depression, lack of motivation. Good habits, such as talking to yourself in a positive way, focusing on positive thoughts, and being positive with other people, get good results: success, happiness, peace of mind. While no one is positive all the time, there are ways to gain a positive "mind set" so that positive thinking becomes a habit.

Eliminate Negative Self-Talk
You probably don't realize how many times a day you send yourself negative mental messages. The habit of negative self-talk goes unnoticed after a while. But studies show that most people hear between 300 and 400 negative message per day - many of them in their own minds.

Start monitoring your inner dialogue. Write down each negative message that you notice over two or three days. Mental comments such as "That was stupid," or "I knew I'd mess it up," simply serve to reinforce a poor self-image and a lack of confidence in our own power to control our lives.

Begin today to consciously change negative thoughts. Whenever you feel yourself starting to think a negative thought, STOP. Don't finish it. Change the thought a positive one before it leaves you.

Don't Worry
Like positive thinking, worrying is a habit, too - a bad habit. Worrying is a waste of time and it does nothing to change a situation. Not only is worry wasteful, it is destructive and self-defeating, dragging you into a chasm of imagined fears and doubts that serve to undermine your positive outlook. Would it not be better to put your worries out of your mind? Here are some tips to help you reduce your worry time:

- Maintain a worry-time schedule. Set aside one half hour each day to do all your worrying. During this half hour, worry to your heart's content, playing out all the possibilities to their ultimate catastrophe. But at any other time during the day, you must not indulge in worrying.
- Gradually reduce your worry-time. Start with a half hour a day. After a week, cut it down to twenty minutes, then ten minutes. Then eliminate your worry-time altogether.

Source: FitnessLink - The Power of Positive Thinking

[DC]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] @ CEW. Sorry I am just getting back to this.

Thanks for keeping this alive CEW. It is an intriguing discussion. Learning a lot. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Just wanted to note that the information in the articles is just an elaboration of the Scripture verse in the initial post. We can read that verse and receive the spiritual observation, but it is more than just our 'spirits' that requires our attention as we move towards wholeness. Unfortunately more times than not we tend to look for the 'spiritual' significance and miss the other parts of us that needs attention.

I can appreciate that one first have to recognize/acknowledge there is a problem, but in your experience, are most people simply in denial, or are they just too comfortable with using their past experiences as an excuse for their passivity?

I think most people are just comfortable with the normalcy of their pattern of behaviors. Why change?! That’s way too much effort on my part!/o. After all, this is the only way they have dealt with situations for years or this is the only way they have been responding to similar situations for years! May not produce the desired results but that is all they know and do not want to know anything new!
I tend to think most people are aware of situations that repeatedly does not seem to get the right results. IMHO, I think these individuals do know when something is not working for them but it is just a matter of refusing to change what they normally do(and think) at such times. They place the responsibility of change on other individuals, the system or the environment.
I will also state that I find there are many who are aware that something is wrong and wants to do something about it but have no idea how to go about rectifying the problem.

The last article clearly summarized everything up to this point. I would expand a little on the practical suggestions to eliminate negative self talk. The first step to changing negative thoughts is knowing what they are. I would say the second thing is to evaluate how accurate and effective they are[If I have this thought ten times for the month, what effect would that have on me? Is this an accurate thought? etc.] Thirdly, replace thought with a biblical or positive thought that will feed your spirit in a healthy way. Prayer or meditation could also be the next step. Asking God to renew our minds is good, but I think it is just as equally important to notice, evaluate and purposefully direct our thoughts so that we can have better control of our thoughts and behaviors. As the article stated, many do not spend the time to think about our thinking-which is essentially who we are. I think prayer provides that opportunity for the believer. It is in this time of introspection that our main goal is to shift our perspective on who we are. Prayer is more for our benefit than it is for God's benefit. I believe on praying on behalf of others and presenting our personal needs but IMHO, I think God is concerned about our perspective on who we are, and who we should be(includes our motives) in the situations presented in prayer. We cannot begin to know ourselves until we know the real reasons why we do the things we do

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

DC: Regarding your expansions on the suggestions for eliminating negative self-talk, if we accept that positive change can be difficult, I am thinking that it would make sense for someone going through (or is desirous of starting) this process of change to have an accountability partner. It is far too easy to settle into old habits, without having someone with the necessary toughness to exercise 'tough love', during those times when there is temptation to retreat to that with which we are most comfortable. What do you think?

I have some more thoughts and will followup later.

[DC]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Originally posted by CEW:
[qb] DC: Regarding your expansions on the suggestions for eliminating negative self-talk, if we accept that positive change can be difficult, I am thinking that it would make sense for someone going through (or is desirous of starting) this process of change to have an accountability partner. It is far too easy to settle into old habits, without having someone with the necessary toughness to exercise 'tough love', during those times when there is temptation to retreat to that with which we are most comfortable. What do you think?

I have some more thoughts and will followup later. [/qb]

Not a bad idea! One can chase a thousand but two can chase ten thousands, therefore it is an excellent idea to be accountable to someone as we embark on this process of changing our mental focus.

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

DC: I'll be back with you on this soon as I still do have some further thoughts and questions. However, it is coming up to the end of the semester and I have some assignments to finish that are to be handed in tonight, so I'm a bit hard pressed for time. Will posts my thoughts later in the week [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

OK...I can breathe a little now before my next paper becomes due [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I have been mulling over some of what we have discussed to date, and I am starting to think that perception plays a very important role in the way we view things, and subsequently, the way we think/talk. What I find interesting however is the number of times our perceptions are wrong, yet listening to the language of some, it would seem the 'damage' has already been done.

Of course this is nothing new. Back in Numbers we see God telling the Israelites to go scout out the land He had given them, and after 12 guys went up and saw the giants, they came to some interesting conclusions: "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (13:33). No one told them they were grasshoppers, they came to that conclusion themselves based on their perception of the situation, totally forgetting that God's instructions to Moses were: "Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel..." The land was already theirs, all they had to do was to take it.

During a recent study of the Sermon on the Mount, I came across a very fascinating couple of verses: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt. 6:22,23). The Greek word translated "eye" - of-thal-mos' - really implies "vision", the word translated "single" - hap-looce'- figuratively means "clear", and the word translated "evil" - pon-ay-ros' - actually implies "evil in effect or influence". If we put all those together, what we see is Jesus making the claim that the light or illuminator of who we are is our vision (perception) and if that is not clear, then we are in darkness. What is ever more interesting is that the word translated darkness - el-eh-i-nos' - actually means "pitiable" or "miserable". Without a clear perspective, we are miserable! (And to think some people pay Psychiatrists and Psychologists a pile of money to tell them that) [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] .

I guess this ties in with the importance of having a healthy concept not only of oneself, but also of the glass one is looking at. Clear vision (perspective) says it is half-full, blurred vision (perspective) says it is half-empty. No wonder Jesus stressed the importance of having a clear perspective in order not to end up miserable. I am reminded of the little ditty about the man who said he used to complain about having no shoes until he saw the man who had no feet. As the saying goes, it's all a matter of perspective. More times than not, no matter how badly we think we are having it, there is someone out there who is having it a bit worse than we do.

[carl68ou1]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Originally posted by CEW:
[qb] Solomon tells us: "For as (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) Is there really a corelation between what we think and the things that are often manifested in our lives? If so, why is it then that some people seem so entrenched in bad thoughts? [/qb]

I am not very versed in these things and areas, but what do you mean by bad thoughts?

[Diplomat]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...

Originally posted by carl68ou1:

Originally posted by CEW:
Solomon tells us: "For as (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) Is there really a corelation between what we think and the things that are often manifested in our lives? If so, why is it then that some people seem so entrenched in bad thoughts?

I am not very versed in these things and areas, but what do you mean by bad thoughts?

Think of it as negative thoughts. If you're going to hang around, you may want to read some of the previous posts to get up to speed on what has been covered so far.

[carl68ou1]

Re: As A Man Thinketh...