Upon Further Reflection - The Boldness to Think Positively in a Negative World

Wow, yet another blog. Just what the world needs:)! I'm no prophet, no guru and I'm certainly not qualified to tell anybody how to live their lives. Having said all that, I'm someone who's done alot of thinking and reflecting about myself, trying to find my own personal truth. I'm a firm believer that everybody has their own personal truth, or what's true for them. Still, some truths are universal and in this blog I hope that even if you don't agree with what I have to say, it may at least cause you to think and reflect yourself.

I've personally read hundreds of books in my life dealing with success, motivation, inspiration and of people seeking & finding betterment. One common thread is woven among them. That of a bold optimism, backed up by goals, plans and persistence. They all underscore the importance of a positive mental outlook. Throughout much, or the majority, of my life, I've held or reverted to a cynical, or outright negative outlook. Factors include that life has a natural negative pull, my childhood (my father was doubtlessly a devout pessimist by nature, reared by other devout pessimists), and much of the company I kept over the years. Throw in an unhealthy dose of not wanting to be held accountable and being ostracized and criticized harshly by others (i.e. caring too much what other thought).

So many times I'd have spurts of positivity where things would take on a good momentum, only to return through circumstances, to a low ebb, leaving me hardened and wondering where it all went wrong.

Years and years went by with varying degrees of success, followed by the inevitable return to where I had started it seemed. The basic, essential lesson I failed to grasp (or outright lost sight of), was that a positive outlook, by and large, was a concious choice. While it's true you can't control alot of the bad things that happen to you (deaths of those close to you, the economy, natural disasters, etc.), you always have a choice about how you respond and react to them. Some of the best stories known to mankind are of those who've risen above the lousy hands they were dealt and used the experience and subsequent lesson to raise to even loftier heights.

Late one night when my fiance Walton was sick, tossing and turning (thus keeping me in a state of twilight between sleep and being awake), it occured to me that to get me in the consistent habit of positive ways of thinking, I'd get in the daily habit of taking a concept, from any source, be it a book, my own bit of insight (that I've obviously pulled out of my subconcious from someone else), or a direct quote, I'd write a brief reflection on whatever it was. Call it active learning. They say the best way to have something sink in is to try and teach it to others. And the teacher is usually the one who needs the lesson the most (definitely factual more days than not).

While the writing is personal, like I said earlier, it's universal enough to share. It's an exercise that is meant to bear fruit for me, and I hope holds some benefits for you as well.

As my man Tony (Anthony) Robbins once said: never leave the scene of a goal without first taking action. Here's the first "Reflect"

#1 Exercise Your Mind

The brain is like any other muscle. The more you exercise it, the more powerful it becomes.
Instead of bulging biceps or exceptional cardiovascular conditioning, the telltale signs of an "in shape" mind are far less visible with the naked eye, but far more potent. So many of us are superficially impressed with those of us who have six pack abs, or run marathons. While this is laudable and requires a certain amount of training, dedication and discipline most of us will never approach, it never ceases to amaze that many, if not most of us, neglect to take that kind of care of our most valuable of assets: our brains. It's been scientifically proven that those who continue to exercise and challenge their minds into older age maintain their mental sharpness and faculties much longer than their contemporaries who don't. They even fend off the effects of senility and Alzheimer's disease far longer than those who don't challenge themselves or stay sharp by reading books, attempting to learn new skills or something as fun as crossword puzzles.

If that's not enough of an endorsement also consider that just like when you maintain shape of your physical body, when you maintain your brain (hey, I'm a poet and didn't know it), life in general is just much easier and more enjoyable. Just like normal everyday activities like yardwork are easier when you have a regular exercise regimen, figuring out simple mental tasks is far easier when you take care of your mind in the same fashion.

So read books that stretch you, do some crosswords, watch some Jeopardy or Discovery Channel, then feel free to reap the benefits of your ever-growing knowledge base.