Positive Thoughts - Learning to Get Beyond Positive Thoughts
Have you ever really considered the importance of positive thoughts?
I've written about positive thinking all over my site for a year now.
However, I'm constantly learning how to improve myself right along with you. I've realized lately that even though I'm extremely optimistic, I still allow myself negativity.
While I've instilled in myself the act of filling my mind with positive thoughts, I've come to realize that I still allow myself to entertain a form of negative thinking.
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How?
In the form of complaining. I can still remember, as a teenager, my Mom asking why I let all that complaining come out of mouth when she knew I was an over-all positive person.
I used to think I could overcome my penchant for complaining. I thought I was just "getting it out" and then I could move on to powerful positive thoughts.
I now realize this was foolish. Although I've used the power of positive thinking to make great strides in my life, I've decided to tackle this complaining thing.
As I take this idea on, I'd like to help you do the same. C'mon, now, admit it; you let quite a bit of complaining to invade your mind, right? ;-)
Two things have happened recently that have brought this idea of doing even better with positive thoughts to my attention. Allow me to share them with you.
Positive Thoughts
Your Ego & Suffering
I've been reading Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" and his viewpoints on the ego.
Again, I've written about this within my spiritual growth section, but I'm gaining new insights into how dominant your ego can be. If you don't understand how your ego works within you, just saying positive thoughts isn't going to be enough.
Let me give you a few excerpts from "A New Earth" (these come from pp 109-111)
"... the ego... is pathological... When we look at the ancient Greek root of... pathological, we discover... it's derived from pathos, which means suffering...
"You might say, 'What a dreadful day', without realizing that the cold, the wind, and the rain or whatever condition you react to are not dreadful. They are as they are.
"What is dreadful is your reaction, your inner resistance to it, and the emotion that is created by that resistance... What is more, suffering or negativity is often misperceived by the ego as pleasure because up to a point the ego strengthens itself through it."
That last sentence really hit me. It's strange because I knew this, I guess, but it just hit me finally that my ego likes the complaining.
So, remember, your ego doesn't want positive thinking. And if you get going with the positive thinking, it'll find a way to complain to offset those thoughts and create the suffering it needs.
Positive Thoughts
The Secret is Awareness
More from "A New Earth":
"Whenever you are in a negative state, there is something in you that wants the negativity, that perceives it as pleasurable...
"Otherwise, who would want to hang on to negativity, make themselves and others miserable, and create disease in the body?
"So, whenever there is negativity in you, if you can be aware at that moment that there is something in you that takes pleasure in it or believes it has a useful purpose, you are becoming aware of the ego directly.
"The moment this happens, your identity has shifted from ego to awareness. This means the ego is shrinking and awareness is growing."
The other day, I was driving home and I was complaining in my mind about something and I remembered this passage from Tolle's book. It hit me like a brick, "Matt, there's a part of you that likes this feeling of misery and suffering!"
Even though I always follow up my complaining thoughts with positive thoughts and feelings of how I'll overcome what's bothering me, I finally realized that this cycle is ridiculous and simply a repeating of patterns that have developed in my mind over my lifetime.
I became aware in that instant. Finally, fully aware of how, even with all my positive thoughts, my ego has still been causing me to suffer in certain areas of my life.
Positive Thoughts
How About You?
So, how about you? Can you relate to my experience and Tolle's words?
I'm betting that the answer is a resounding, "Yes". I hope you can start to become aware so your ego will shrink, along with your suffering.
"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
- Shakespeare
Positive Thoughts
Complaining Bracelets
The second thing that happened regarding my thoughts on positive thinking and complaining is that I became aware of a website called A Complaint Free World.
Their idea is to wear these purple bracelets and for 21 days utter zero complaints. If you do, you must move the bracelet to your other arm and start over.
Bizarre, huh?
Not really, as you and I both know that we receive what we put out. I've been having new and revolutionary (for me) positive thoughts regarding my ego and complaining. So, I was led to a practical way to break the habit.
I suggest you visit their site and develop your own "Complaint Free Zone". You can order your Purple Bracelet for free.
Positive Thoughts
Beyond Your Ego
Take what I'm saying here seriously. If you don't become aware of the suffering you blindly allow yourself to experience through your ego, you're destined to experience unhappiness.
You need to separate your higher self from your ego. Your ego really isn't you. Your ego is desperately trying to keep you from your higher self. It knows that once you become fully aware of this concept, that you'll have no future use for it.
Yes, positive thoughts, visualization, and daily affirmations have their place. When you fill your mind with positive thoughts, positive experiences will follow.
However, you and I are now on to the next step. Thinking beyond the thoughts in our mind and looking into our spiritual Being for completeness, abundance, and happiness.
Change your life,
Matt
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