Posts tagged Mentality
How Can I Afford It?
Sep 6th
We are what we think we are. This thought came from our brain and control our state of mind. If you think you will be happy today, then you will be. If you think you will be sad today, then you will be. Everything that happens is controlled by our mind.
Abundant mentality requires us to use our brain to it’s maximum performance. Let’s take for example, one scenario that most of us often encounter.
As a general rule for rich people, they satisfy their self first. They deserve the best and only the best for themselves. They eat the best food, wear the best dress, go to the best place and other things.
But for other people, it’s a different scenario. Out from our monthly salary, we deduct all our obligations first then the remaining amount will be use to satisfy our needs for recreation or leisure. We’re lucky enough if we have something left for us to spend.
When we go to a mall, and see the beautiful dress or beautiful shoes that we want, we will surely be tempted to buy. But since we are on a tight budget, we keep telling to our mind that we don’t have money and we can’t afford it. And that does will really happen. We can never have enough money to afford it.
Our mind will digest this information that we feed to it. Saying the word I can’t and I don’t, it hinders and locks our mind from thinking any possible ways. If you analyze the scenario, it’s like telling your mind shut up and do nothing. That is in contrary to what our mind can do.
Now let’s change our mindset. Instead of saying I don’t have money and I can’t afford it, ask your mind this question: how can I afford it? When your mind receive this input from you, it will do it’s part to think of ways how you can raise the money to afford the things that you want. It could suggest you to cut your daily expenses, think of a business opportunity and look for ways to create money. After all, our mind is made to function that way. You are not just giving your brain a task to think, but you are also improving yourself mentally.
A travel vacation in Europe. How can you afford it?
A nice car you dreamed of having. How can you afford it?
A big house in your hometown. How can you afford it?
Our brain is our greatest asset. It controls everything: the way we talk, the way we behave, the way we react and the way we think. It’s what makes us superior with other mammal. If used properly, it could lead us to success. Otherwise, it could lead us to failure.
Let’s start change our mindset, think abundantly and have positive mental attitude. Always ask ourselves this question whenever we encounter same scenario. Empower ourselves by constant learning and joining worthwhile activities.
When in Doubt, Be Kind
Sep 2nd
At the risk of sounding like the grandmother I am, I want to talk about kindness. We all hopefully remember some older person in our childhood who talked about how important it was to be kind, or to follow “the golden rule” or maybe to smile because smiles are contagious, which is the one I remember most because my dad told me so. After years of kindness, at least in its simplest form, sort of being on the back burner, it seems to be jumping out at me a lot lately. I am intrigued by its simplicity and its amazing applicability.
Somewhere between 10 and 50-something, kindness became less important. Certainly, in our teens it was often replaced by “being cool” or even cruelty at times within our school environments. Often, in the 20 through 40 age bracket, we get absorbed into the “eat or be eaten” mentality where kindness definitely can take a back seat. This does not mean we never behaved kindly or showed good manners, but were we actually being kind or just “acting” kind for some underlying reason? Often in the later decades, we see that maybe that mentality does not go as far as we once thought it would, and we start looking for a gentler approach.
This subject is a bit of a challenge, because I have found that most people think they are kind. I know I thought I was, and when I have mentioned to people that know me they are surprised that I think I was not usually kind. Reality check time, definitely for me, and maybe even for them! The challenge comes in because I am not sure how to really get this point across in a way that others will not only understand, but see deeper than its simplicity and not discard as commonplace or even corny.
I find it interesting to sort of mix up the idea of the golden rule and the newer, and very popular concept of “the law of attraction”. Have you ever seen someone use the golden rule in reverse? I see it all the time. It is observable with people who have a lot of drama in their lives. I am not making them wrong; I am only pointing out the matching that goes on with what they put out and get back. It is not right or wrong, it is only a match. Often, they are getting what they want, they just cannot see that, or break the habit. As judgmental as I used to be, they did not deserve any kindness I might have mustered up.
Being kind, unconditionally kind, has become a thing to strive for in my life. I mean being kind when it does not seem that the person on the receiving end really deserves it. I mean being kind, even though they were not kind to you. I mean being kind although you feel they will never return the kindness. And, most of all I mean being kind even when it is not convenient for you. I have arrived at the point of knowing when I am not kind, and I consider that a success. I look forward to “being kind” so naturally it is organic, so easy I do not have to decide which way to be.
A facilitator in a study group I attend recently answered a question on how to react in a certain situation. He suggested to just “be kind”, and not worry about any other behavior. As often happens, when we are ready for something it hits us like a brick in the head. One of my challenges in getting my point across now is how trite the idea of kindness as a solution to upsets in my life would have seemed in those years when I was sure I knew it all. Shortly after that incident I ran into this quote by Philo, sometimes attributed to Plato: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” That one just added to the clarity.
I know one thing for sure. Kindness has taken on a new meaning for me as I begin my seventh decade. It is actually very easy at this point to implement in my daily routine, even if I slip and notice it after the fact. I notice that the kinder I am, the happier I feel. The healing power of kindness is incredible, and I love the partnership it demonstrates with forgiveness and gratitude. You may be a fortunate human being who always exudes an organic kindness. But if not, no matter what decade of life you are in, please try this easy to apply motto: when in doubt, be kind. Do it unconditionally, and you just might be amazed. I will gladly share with you the happiness and peace we see as a result.
