Image by: ThomasAlpha
By Dave Andrews
Last week my girlfriend and I went to the mall to see a movie, but we decided to eat dinner first. While we were eating, we noticed a couple outside the restaurant who seemed to be in a big argument.
The girl was crying and the guy looked really upset. She was trying to show something on her phone to the guy, but he didn’t want to look at it.
From where we were sitting, we couldn’t really hear what they were talking about so we started speculating.
My girlfriend thought that he probably caught her cheating on him. On the other hand, I was guessing that one of the girl’s friends sent her some kind of evidence that her boyfriend was cheating on her.
We came up with different hunches until we ended up getting into a little debate ourselves. It affected our moods enough that we just decided to call it a night.
Many of us create stories in our heads that make our lives miserable.
Both of us were silent on our way to the parking lot. But when I looked at her, we both laughed. We just realized that we were having a nonsensical discussion over some people we didn’t even know. We were crazy to let our imaginations bother us and ruin our night.
Paulette Bibeau has some useful insights on how the power of thoughts could get in the way of our relationships.
She compared exploring our imagination in a bad manner, to making a potion that induces negative reactions. The mix of criticism and bad judgment can lead to bitterness and resentment.
Our thoughts are so powerful. They can ruin a perfect moment or turn an unpleasant situation into something rewarding.
The good news is that we have the power to shape our thoughts to create the kind of life that we want. We have to be careful with the decisions we make so that we can achieve the desired outcomes that we want to bring in our lives.
In “11 Nuggets of Wealth Building Wisdom,” Theo Thimou says that there may be certain events that we don’t have any control of, however, “our choices make the difference in what control we have over our lives and our future.”
Out of all the items in the list, I like number 3 the most: “Begin with the end in mind.” I believe that setting a goal is crucial to accomplishing great things. It helps you focus, sparks your motivation and enables you to visualize making your dreams happen.
Having a clear sense of what you want to do, what you want to become and where you want to go can make all the difference.
One of my friends has been struggling for years to lose weight. He even tried enrolling in a gym and hired a personal instructor. However, he said that his lifestyle and work always get in the way so he just wanted to forget about it.
So, when I came across this piece about a new approach to eating and fitness called “Intermittent Fasting” or restricting eating time period to 8 hours, I immediately informed him about it and asked him to give it a try.
According to studies, Intermittent Fasting may:
• Reduce blood pressure
• Protect against cardiovascular disease
• Reverse type 2 diabetes
• Reduce cholesterol
• Improve metabolic efficiency and body composition
We have to be cautious in the activities we involve ourselves into because they can affect the way we think and act.
Our habits, simple routines and life experiences can shape our way of thinking. For example, if you’re an athlete, then most likely, you know about determination; or if you’re someone who likes fishing, then there’s a great chance that you understand what patience is about.
However, there’s this one particular activity that I really didn’t expect to have much influence on the way a person thinks and that is gaming.
Check this out – “How Playing Video Games Taught Me to Take Control of My Own Life.”
In this piece, Mahendra Samsu shared 5 life lessons that she learned from playing The Old Republic, Titan Quest, Dungeon Siege and many more.
Well, I could totally relate to this. I used to be really addicted to Starcraft and Diablo and I even had the expansion sets. These types of games stimulate my brain and taught me a lot about formulating strategies, being prepared and taking risks.
Guys, your thoughts shape your reality. So, stay away from negative ones as they can limit your abilities and your power to improve your life. If your thoughts are not serving you, do what it takes to get rid of them and replace them with ones that will take you where you want to be in life.