QUESTION: Was the woman who feared not having a home on a path that would have taken her to homelessness?
Hard to say. If she was focused on it hard enough and let it dominate her life, she could have become homeless. However, if it was not that dominate a thought, then it just might have made her unhappy and anxious.
Question: If we think we are going to lose something, what should we do to change things?
You need to change your thoughts to believing that you will not lose that thing. Continually reiterate a positive message to yourself over and over again, day after day. Turn it into a positive action plan.
Question: How can we change our negative thoughts to positive thoughts and prevent them from recurring in life?
First we need to acknowledge the negative thoughts and take ownership of them. Then we need to realize that we don’t need or want those thoughts. Finally we need to create a new thought that counters it and repeat it every time we have that negative thought. For example, if you think you will fail a test, continually tell yourself you will pass it, and then study hard to pass.
Question: How do we stop thoughts from becoming reality?
We don’t. That is why we need to change our negative thoughts into positive thoughts so our reality will become positive. Our mind is the builder of who we are as it creates our life, which is our reality. That is why it is so important to focus on what you want to happen.
Question: How can we stop reacting to things we think?
By not identifying ourselves with this thought. Recognize the thought for what it is, a negative thought, observe it, and then let it go. Simply don’t do anything about it. It is ok to think “this is not good” or “that was not a nice thing someone did”; but don’t do anything about it. Then try to change it into a positive thought like: ‘that poor person must really be frustrated, maybe I could help them”.
Question: I think negative thoughts at times, but I find myself catching it as negative and stop the thought. Is that being in control of my thoughts?
Yes it is and it is very good. Now practice turning the thought into a positive thought.
Question: What if your emotions are controlling your thoughts?
That is when you train yourself to become an observer rather than a reactor. One step at a time. Some things will bother you more than others so don’t expect every incident to work out the same. Some long standing frustrations will take longer to deal with than others.
Question: How long do you need to think positively to achieve positive results in life?
Not that long. But you truly need to get the negative thoughts out of your mind. The trick is to train yourself to rid yourself of as many negative thoughts as possible. Our subconscious gives us what we ask for. If it thinks we want negative thoughts to happen, that is what it will give us. We get what we ask for so make sure what you ask for is really what you want.
Question: How do you not fear the unknown in certain circumstances?
You need to realize that nothing can hurt you, including death, which it simply returning to our spiritual home. Our spirit guides assure us that there is a safety net that will always keep us from harm. Our experiences are really what we need to evolve, so even our most difficult times are for our own benefit. It might help to think back about all the terrible things you feared in your past, which have all become no issues in your life today. We all need to stop living in the future and enjoy the present.
Question: At what point in our upbringing do we get corrupted?
It comes slowly over time as we try to adjust to the realities of life on this difficult planet. However, even very small children are inadvertently being taught bad habits. This is a difficult world to live in but the advantage is that we learn a great deal and evolve more rapidly than if we were in a less stressful environment.>
Question: How do we undo the teaching that caused us to think negatively so we can get to a better place?
Follow the processes described above and explained in “Who Says”, which will help us change our negative thoughts to positive ones. Just because we were taught bad habits doesn’t mean we need to keep them.
Question: We live in a multi-tasking world. How do we stop the multi-tasking and be in the present?
We can multi-task in the present. It is when we turn to fear and regret that we slip out of the present. Being in the present doesn’t mean we don’t do as many things. It just means we don’t waste time thinking about things we cannot control.
Question: What do you mean, no one fears the past? You can fear the past will come back and you can fear similar things will happen? Please explain what you mean by no one fears the past.
Fearing past problems will recur in the future is simply fearing the future. You don’t fear what happened to you, you are fearing what will happen to you again. That is fearing the future.
Question: How do we build on positive thoughts?
Continually repeating positive thoughts is the best way to do it. Restating negative thoughts in a positive way will reinforce that thought. For example, instead of saying “I am not smart” say “I am smart”.
Question: Could it be that negative thoughts are just looking at the reality of possibilities?
Assessing potential outcomes and planning for the negative results is fine providing that you have a positive plan of action for the negative possibilities. Considering negative outcomes is not only okay, it is prudent. It is when you don’t plan for them but spend time worrying that you are unnecessarily encouraging a negative outcome. If you are not going to plan for possible negative outcomes, then don’t focus on them by worrying. Just deal with it from a positive prospective if the worst outcome actually occurs.