A Few Thoughts About, Well, Thoughts

“Everything we say, do, and physically manifest first begins in thought.” – Mary J. Lore

I swim in motivational quotes almost as much as I swim in coffee, so you’ll have to forgive me if I can’t think of the EXACT quote, let alone the one who quoted it – but there’s a quotation that pays homage to the fact that the worst of times brings out the best in people.

I thought about this fact recently after finishing yet another brilliant book.  This one was Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World? by Mary J. Lore and it was a thought provoking book if the truest sense of the phrase.

This book puts your thoughts on trial and sees which ones should be locked away and which ones can actually contribute to society.

I’ve always been fascinated by thoughts.  They can catch you completely off guard, can’t they?  You can be weeding your flower bed, thinking only of your marigolds, when suddenly you remember something that someone once said that hurt your feelings.  Then you’re faced with a choice – you can mark that thought as “unworthy” and squeeze it out of the way, or you can dwell on it.  The fun thing about dwelling on this kind of thought is that it ruins your entire day.  And mood. Then, you can run inside and call the person up – with icy venom dripping from your words. “Do. You. Remember. When. You. Said. I. Was. Selfish? – Yes, I know it was 18 years ago. You still said it!”

So, you ruin your mood, the other person’s day, and look like a whackadoodle in the process.  I admit  it, I’ve been on the whack side of the doodle a time or two.

Most people claim that they simply can’t control their thoughts.   They realize that certain negative thoughts aren’t good for them, but they feel that they just can’t help themselves.  The author addresses this thought early in the book:

Most of us believe that we don’t have control over our thoughts.  To demonstrate the fallacy of this belief, take a look at the following exercise.

EXERCISE: Take a moment to think of an ice cream cone.  Think of the type of cone, the type of ice cream, the number of scoops, the toppings, if any.

Now stop thinking of the ice cream cone.

Instead, think of a puppy – the twinkle in the puppy’s eyes, the wagging tail, the squeals of delight, the excitement, the playfulness.

Were you able to do it?

If so, you have just proven that you have control of your thoughts.  You were able to stop what you were thinking to think about the ice cream cone.  You were also able to stop thinking about the ice cream cone and begin thinking about the puppy .   – Page 13

As my mind went from the chocolate ice cream cone (Breyer’s – I’m an ice cream snob) to the bulldog puppy, I had a Wow, cool! moment.  My version of an A-HA moment.

Another favorite part of the book was in Chapter 8.  The author discusses the importance of identifying and eliminating what she calls “Destructive and Diseased Thoughts.”Appropriately enough, it’s the name of the chapter.

Mary J. Lore gives 3 wonderful “Rules of Thumb” for identifying a Destructive and Diseased Thought:

1. Does the thought bring me peace or inspire me?
2. Does the thought cause harm to others or to myself?
3. Does the thought move me toward or away from what is significant and of value to me and to those involved?  – (Page 55, Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World?)

I love that – “Does the thought move me toward or away from what is significant and of value to me and to those involved?” We could really gain control of our thoughts if we put them into an interrogation room and asked what they had to say for themselves!

Why should we be so concerned with out thoughts?  As Mary J. Lore points out, “Every thought we’ve ever had has made us who we are today.”  That sort of makes you sit up and take notice, doesn’t it?  The thing is, 10 years from now, the thoughts we have between now and then will have made us who we are.

2019 wants us to steer our thoughts in the right direction – starting right now.

Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World? would like very, very much to show you how if you’ll allow it to.

You’ll Discover:

• The mental and physical harm destructive and diseased thoughts have on you.
• How to replace destructive thoughts with constructive thoughts.
• How to find out what you truly want from life and how your thoughts can help you attain it.
• How to keep from placing limits on yourself.
• How to shape positive thoughts.
• How to let go of a thought you want no part of.
• How to keep your thoughts focused when difficult situations (and people!) try and challenge you.
• How to manage your personal energy.
• And so very much more!

As you practice watching your thoughts, you will find yourself dismissing those that are negative and disempowering.  In time, you will find that your thoughts are working for you, instead of against you.  You will find yourself  calm and at peace. – Mary J. Lore

Make no mistake about it, every thought we have is leading us somewhere.  Finally!  An atlas.