The Secret

Listening to The Secret on CD. Here are some quotes/thoughts from that: Like attracts like. Thoughts attract like a magnet. If you think a thought, you attract like thoughts. A thought has a frequency. Emitting that frequency.....sending out a magnetic signal Mental attitude or thoughts Think more about what I DO want...not what I don't want. IF you complain and listen to complainers, you may attract more to complain about. So THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU LIKE AND WHAT YOU WANT. Our feelings are an indication of our predominant thoughts. If I'm feeling bad, then chances are that my predominant thoughts are bad. So if I start feeling bad, start trying harder to have positive thoughts.

Benjamin Franklin

On page 49 of the biography of Benjamin Franklin, the author lists the resolutions that young Ben made in his Plan for Future Conduct: 1. It is necessary for me to be frugal until I have paid what I owe. 2. To endeavor to speak truth in every instance; to give nobody expectations that are not likely to be answered, but aim at sincerity in every word and action--the most amiable excellence in a rational being 3. To apply myself industriously to whatever business I take in hand, and not divert my mind from my business by any foolish project of suddenly growing rich; for industry and patience are the surest means of plenty. 4. I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever. The author of the book adds that Franklin never mastered # 2 and # 4 although he continued to preach them and generally make a show of practicing them. Sooooooo...that makes me smile.....because it means that even great men like Franklin don't always live up to their grand ideals. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try. It just means that we shouldn't beat ourselves up when we fail. Another fable that Franklin tells has the moral that it is foolish to try to avoid all criticism: A father and son travel with a donkey. When the father rode and made the son walk, some criticized. They were also criticized when the son rode and the father walked. They were criticized when both rode or none rode. So finally they threw the donkey off a bridge.

book by William Glasser, MD

Quotes from the book called Positive Addiction. page 5: We drink, smoke and eat too much because it's easier than disciplining ourselves to say no. pge 10: Perhaps the beginning of gaining strength is becoming aware of the bad choices you make. page 12: We have all been depressed and been told by some well meaning fool to cheer up, a bit of advice that strikes us at the time as about as helpful as bailing out the titanic with a teacup. page 15: If he does help himself, he will no longer need his depression. I'll update as I finish the book. I'm also listening to "The Secret" on CD to help me with positive thinking.

Motivational talk

When something happens at work that bothers me, here are some ideas: Do some yoga stretches to soothing music. The idea is to release any tension in the body as soon as possible. Why? Once the emotional tension is released, I will be able to think of solutions more clearly. Because the next step is to come up with a solution. Then act on the suggestion. Why? Because internalizing problems seems to lead me (as well as others according to the motivational speakers) into drinking and eating too much....mind numbing activities. And those don't help. So release the physical tension...hopefully release the emotional tension. And think of a solution. Maybe the solution is just to let it go because it falls under the first category: God please grant me the serenity to accept the things that I can not change God please grant me the skill to change the things that need to be changed And God please grant me the wisdom to know the difference.