The Color of Your Thoughts
Are you an optimist or a pessimist? You probably give yourself credit
for being a realist. You see it. You get it. The problems and challenges of
this world… you understand them. You’re actively predicting the future in your
own head. Well, if so, that means you’re likely doing a rather poor job of two
key things that can seriously impact the quality of your life… 1) living in
the present moment & 2) focusing on what you can control.
Are there challenges in the world, in our country, today, right
now? Yes. Plenty. Is that new? No. But this is different? Crumbling financial
markets, a growing pandemic; the world has never seen such as this. Never? Just
try to imagine the world of roughly 100 years ago. World War I rages, followed
by the Spanish flu, then Prohibition and the related violence, the Twenties
roar, then the stock market crashes precipitating the Great Depression. Wow! All
of that in a span of about 20 years, that was then followed by World War II.
This is not to minimize the challenges of today. They are real. This is not to
suggest that blind positivity will cure all. This is not an ad for The Power
of Positive Thinking.
However, there is research to suggest that an approach of optimistic
realism is more likely to lead one to success and happiness. Why? Because such people
are more likely to plan and take action. They see the obstacles and work to
overcome them. They control what they can control. And because, as Seneca tells
us: “We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from
imagination than from reality”. We can turn every frightening challenge into a
reason to give up. We can convince ourselves that it’s not worth the effort as
we look for a place to hide. Or, we can stop. We can take stock of all that is positive
in our lives. We can work as hard as we possibly can on the things that matter
to us. We can love and lift-up those that we care about. We can battle ‘til the
end.
Here’s the thing, it’s all up to you. You decide what stories you
tell yourself. You decide what thoughts you entertain. That is all on you! And
the impact of those thoughts is very real. As Heraclitus, and later Marcus Aurelius,
stated, “The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts.”
There’s more to the quote, however. It continues, “Think only on
those things that are in line with your principles and can bear the light of
day. The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you do is
who you become. Your integrity is your destiny - it is the light that guides
your way.”
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