The Art of Positive Thinking

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Positive thinking versus negative thinking.
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Positive thinking versus negative thinking, it's all in your attitude.

Hi, I'm Paul Thomas. My friends call me PT because those are my initials and because I'm a new disciple of Roger Evans and his quasi religion of positive thought. I bought his franchise for fifty thousand dollars. I used the inheritance received from when my Dad died to buy it. Through videos, seminars, and text, he'll teach me how to train others to think positively.

Actually, I didn't know what else to do with the money. Fifty-thousand dollars isn't a lot of money these days. Back in my parents' day, they could do a lot with fifty thousand dollars. They could buy a nice house for fifteen thousand, a new car for three thousand, and have a nest egg with the rest.

In my case, especially in the way that the financial world is today, volatile and uncertain, other than to save it and watch it decrease in value against the Euro, as the most a bank would give me is 3% return on my money, I figured I'd invest it instead. Yeah, sure, I could have paid off my credit cards and my truck, but then I'd be left with nothing. Then I thought, what better investment than to invest in my own business, ergo a franchise in Roger Evans Positive Thinking Seminars, hopefully allowing my money to make money?

For those of you who don't know, positive thinking is the latest rage sweeping across the country and throughout the world. As with most everything in creative conscious thinking, advent guard, or anything new, different, and exciting, it started in California. True, positive thinking has been around for a long time, but it never evolved into much of anything until the baby boomers came of age and until Oprah started hyping the book, The Secret. Suddenly facing the reality of their mortality, those of us over forty-years-old took the ball and ran with the idea, since thinking is free.

Positive thinking was a way for those whose age has limited their physical abilities to do whatever it was they could no longer do physically, but still wanted to achieve. By harnessing positive energy to achieve what they couldn't ordinarily achieve without the power of positive thought, thinking positively helps them overcome the negativity of age. Yet, positive thinking works for anyone, young and old.

Those of you who are negative thinkers won't appreciate or even finish reading this essay. Those of you who are already positive thinkers or who are looking for a change in your way of thinking will appreciate all that I have written. For those who are non-believers and skeptics, give positive thinking a chance before rejecting the idea.

Life wasn't always like this for me. I'm your typical guy who drank too much beer, ate too much of the wrong type of food, smoked unfiltered cigarettes, until finally quitting after four tries, and stressed too much over unimportant things. I'm divorced and with credit card payments, truck payments, and after paying child support for my two children, there's not very much left over for anything else. I'm a prime candidate for a stroke or a heart attack, which is why I wanted to make some positive changes to my life, now, before it's too late.

Without doubt, positive thinking has helped me to live a better life. I realize though, that there are those who do not and cannot embrace any change to how they live their lives. They are true to their beliefs that they are a product of their environment and changing how they think and how they live is beyond their control. Well, I'm here to write that so aren't we all products of our environments. Yet, if I can change, you can change, too, but it's not easy to moderate and change the way you think.

Like anything else new, it takes practice. We think so quickly, so impulsively, so learned, and sometimes we think without reason and without questioning what it is we are thinking. The thoughts fly so quickly through our mind that sometimes we don't even realize we are being negative. In the beginning, we must question and analyze every thought. Our thoughts, especially those negative ones, weigh us down with misery. Those are the thoughts we must change to feel the effects of positive thinking. After a while thinking positively comes natural.

On that note, since I was a non-believer most of my life, I'm the first one to make fun of how I chose to live my life positively instead of negatively now. Certainly, I'm not telling you how to live your life or preaching you to make the change from negative thoughts to positive ones. I've lived long enough to know that those who ask for advice usually don't take it. I've only written this, my story, about how I used to be and how that poisonous mindset of negativity has affected my behavior, especially with my love relationships.

I was always so negative. Every thought was negative. Every thought was woe is me. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? By accepting myself as a human being who makes mistakes, by not beating myself up for failing my imagined and oftentimes unrealistic goals, I freed my mind of the negative thoughts that limited what I could accomplish. Now I can forgive myself for making mistakes and for not achieving those things that were impossible to achieve in the first place while making positive progress.

Yeah, I know, I sound too good to be true, but I'm not. I'm just like you; trust me, I'm no different. The only difference between me and you is that I'm trying to make a difference in my life by changing how I think about things. It's all in the adjustment of my perception. Doctor Phil always asks the question when one of his guests are doing some behavior that hasn't worked, "How's that working for you?"

In my case, when I asked myself that question, "How's that working for you?" regarding my behavior of negative thinking, my answer, of course, was that it wasn't working for me at all. I'm not here to preach to you how you should change and/or live your life. That comes later, once I learn how to do it from Roger and after you pay to sit in the audience at one of my Positive Thinking Seminars. I'm only writing this to tell you what I've done to improve my life through my personal behavior modification. If there is something that you read in this essay that helps you, then I am happy that I could help.

There was a time that I couldn't even trust the advice I gave myself. Negativity soured my internal viewpoint, as to how I saw things and perceived others. Truly, in the way that I thought about stuff, I was my own worst enemy. Positive thinking has changed all that. Now, I heed my instincts, trust my judgment, and take note of my intuition. I welcome my new way of thinking knowing that my good thoughts will guide me.

I used to be so angry. I'd get in a foul mood at the smallest slight, even if it was accidental. I was tense and stressed all the time. I was filled with rage that made me lash out at strangers, friends, and relatives. I since forgave myself for the way that I've acted and apologized to those I've offended. Acknowledging and releasing the rage within has not only allowed me to release the guilt of my bad behavior but also has allowed me to modify my behavior for the better.

I'm calmer now and that calm has allowed me to view things much differently than I did before. Without anger interfering with my thoughts and without negativity weighing me down, I have a higher level of focused concentration that allows me to make better decisions and positive choices. Now, whenever negative energy unfolds, I remain relaxed in positive thought while allowing the drama to wash over me without reacting to it.

Much like the power of prayer, much like the calm found from meditation, positive thought has helped me to live a better life and has made me a better man. I have a long way to go, but I know that I'll get there one day. Now, I feel that whatever it is I want everything is in my power to possess.

It is now my conscious choice to be calm rather than frantic when my day gets hectic. Meditation has helped me to increase my awareness of the power within me to attract the good and ward off the bad. I know now that I alone create my reality from the thoughts I think and that I alone am responsible for my mood. Bad thoughts beget bad reality and good thoughts beget good reality. If you think that you only need to change your way of thinking, then think again. This simple remedy is not so easy to accept and administer; it's hard work because you must work at changing your negative thoughts to positive ones.

Before, everything I thought about doing was so overwhelming. "I can't do it," I'd say throwing up my hands in defeat before even trying. "I'll never do it. It's too hard." I'd quit before I even tried.

Now, I realize that even big plans must be accomplished in small, one at a time steps. Rather than worrying, complaining, and pressuring myself with the things that I had to do, I remain calm. Releasing it from my mind by putting all that I need to do to paper, I make a personal inventory. I prioritized the list and checked off each accomplishment, as I completed them, while focusing my concentration on one thing at a time.

Before, I'd drive myself crazy worrying about all that I needed to do, while doing nothing but spinning my wheels and procrastinating and never getting anything done. I'd go through the entire process again tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. Now, because I'm more positive with my thoughts, I accept that I don't have to be doing something every moment of the day nor must I accomplish everything that I need to do all at once. Those thoughts have helped me to accomplish more without feeling pressured to accomplish everything on my list. Focused and committed, as opposed to scattered and indecisive, I'm able to overcome obstacles and reach my goals. Procrastination is no longer part of my vocabulary.

Even failure is not as devastating to me as it was before. If I fail at something, I'll learn from my mistakes. Failure will only make me stronger.

Anxious, nervous, and afraid of everything, those feelings of stressful panic paralyzed me. Anytime anything went wrong or not to my unrealistic internal plan, I'd worry. Anxiety would stress me to the max. "What do I do now?" That was my internal dialogue. "What do I do now?" That was my mantra.

Now, whenever I feel anxious of fearful, I take a moment to be still, calm, and in tune with my thoughts and to observe the sensation while waiting and allowing it pass. By controlling my thoughts instead of allowing my thoughts to control me, the process allows me to clear my mind and think. Instead of reacting to the bad karma around me, I reach out and take hold of the moment. No longer do I worry about what will I do, I just do it.

I was always so negative before. If my neighbor bought a new car, lawn mower or snow thrower, I'd be jealous. Why can't I afford such new things? Whenever I thought like that, which was all the time, negativity not only controlled me but also made it impossible for me to do anything positive. Instead of examining how I lived my life, I used look at how other people lived their lives.

Always thinking and believing that the grass was always greener on the other side, ingrained with hostility over someone else's successes in their lives, I was paralyzed to act upon and enjoy my life. Trust me, the way that I'm living now, in positive thought and invigorated with positive energy, is a better way than how I was living before. I'm much happier now.

Sure, I wished I had a big house, a luxury car, and plenty of money, but I'm learning to rise above those basic wants and needs. Truly, I don't need any of those things to make me happy and if I do attain them through positive thought and positive energy, then that's great. For now, there are more important things to want and to need than material things. Focusing on and being thankful for what I have rather than focusing on and complaining about what I don't have brings me joy instead of consternation. Just by thinking positively and just by being thankful for all that I have has released me from all that negativity. Now, instead of feeling cheated and wronged, I feel truly blessed.

It was a load off my chest to release myself from the feelings of jealousy and envy toward others and in doing that, I opened my heart to all things that are good and to all things that are positive. In being thankful for all that I have and all that I've received, in the spirit of love, I more enjoy giving to others than receiving. The more that I give, the more in harmony I am with my surroundings and with the people in my life.

There was a time when I stopped believing in God. I stopped going to church. I hadn't prayed in years. Now, I ask for God's love and protection of all living things. When I put my trust in God, when I trust God to bring me whatever I desire at the right time, I have a divine ability to attract all that I need and all that I desire. With a feeling of inner peace, harmony, and well-being, I feel connected to the universe.

Now, I realize that I am one infinitesimal part of the whole and that I am not separate from my environment. Keenly aware of the energy around me, I am one with my surroundings. Even though I am not a religious person, I feel that by being a positive person that God's love and protection surround me.

It all started when I was laid off from work recently. I was so sad, down in the dumps, really. Feeling sorry for myself, I felt that I couldn't do anything right. That was when I picked up Roger's book, Positive Thought Creates The Power Of Positive Energy, and read it for the first time. Fortunately, my work layoff was temporary and they called me back after the slow period. Yet, the negativity that I experienced during that time got me to thinking. Was it because I was reading his book and started having positive thoughts that created positive energy and that triggered my company to call me back to work? I wondered.

Now, with Roger Evans in my life, I have faith in my plans, my projects, and my future. I acknowledge my successes with personal gratitude and generosity towards my family, friends, and fellow man, not so much in money, but in compliments and support. I notice things more, especially when someone goes out of their way to do something nice. Sometimes, all it takes is a kind word to reinforce their action and for it to pay dividends. It's sort of like that movie, Pay It Forward with Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt.

In making a positive change to my attitude, I am prosperous, I mean, I'm not rich by any means, but I'm happy and much happier than I was before.

Before, I dreaded change, actually, I hated change. Now, I welcome any new change in my life, as a new experience to learn and fears of failure to conquer. I know that I will learn something new, whenever something new comes in my life. I can't believe I'm saying all this stuff to you, a perfect stranger. I can't believe I'm beginning to talk like Roger Evans and even think like him. Now, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's all for the better.

Before I embraced positive thinking, everything was so complicated and nothing was easy. It gave me a headache to think about personal self-improvement stuff that only a beer, a cigarette, and a double cheeseburger could relieve. Back then, it was so hard to get ahead. I used to think that other people had all the luck and I even wished that I was born to different parents, richer and/or smarter ones. My biggest goal was to win the lottery. Now, I don't even play the lottery. I used to think that people had a better life than me because they were at the right place at the right time.

Now, with a renewed appreciation, I enjoy the simple things in life. I create my own opportunities. I have the power to make my dreams come true. Whenever I direct my thoughts to the good that's in my life, I realize that in doing so, I attract to me whatever it is I dwell upon. Hey, I've already proven the theory. By thinking negative thoughts before, bad things always happened to me. Now that I think positive thoughts, good things are in my future.

It wasn't that long ago that everything felt so out of my control. I felt cursed. I felt I was doomed. Now, I feel that I am in control of my destiny. I possess the power to make my dreams reality just by thinking positively about them, envisioning them, and imagining having them in my life.

Sublimation, visualization, and positive thoughts, I wish I knew about these and practiced them before. Maybe, I'd still be married and have my kids in my life on a daily basis instead of just weekends. Now I know that I'm the one responsible for most of what happens, good or bad, in my life. It's my conscious choice and it's all in how I think about things.

I used to think that no one liked me. Yeah, seriously, c'mon, look at me. I'm a Hell of a guy, a Hell of a guy. I used to think that everyone hated me. No doubt, I was right, but it was my fault if someone didn't like me or if someone hated me. In the past, I put the burden of responsibility on them. Obviously, I thought there was something wrong with them for them not to like me or to hate me, even.

Now, I accept the responsibility and think what can I do or say to make them like me or love me for that matter. Some people I can't change. Some people are just sour on life and there's nothing that I can do or say to change how they feel about me or about anything. Whenever I come across someone so negative and ill tempered, I avoid them. I don't want any of their negative energy rubbing off on me. I don't want their bad day ruining my good day.

It's all related to and in the way I think that rules my behavior for the good or for the bad. Moreover, positive thinking generates an aura around me that not only attracts other positive thinkers but also protects me from negativity. Now, people, especially those people who I interacted with negatively before, perceive me differently and for the better. Just by acting positive to them, just by encompassing them with my positive energy, I improve their mood and change their behavior.

This positive thinking stuff is really powerful. In consciously and sub-consciously changing how I think about things, I make breakthroughs every day. Every day, I think of something that I didn't think about or see before. It's a personified, positive snowball rolling down a mountain of good hope. It's all in my attitude.

Now, if someone doesn't like me or if someone hates me, even, I know it's because they are negative. I now know that if they don't like me, it's not from anything that I've done or didn't do. In that way, by having a positive attitude, as an added benefit, I actually contribute to the happiness of others, as much as I do to myself.

I used to be a control freak. I had to do everything myself. Never would I ask anyone for a helping hand. Now, I'll ask a neighbor, a friend, even a stranger for help if and when I need the help. You'd be surprised, more often than not; the people you ask for help will give you a helping hand. Not only does it make you feel better getting the help but also it makes them feel better giving you the help. I wish I had latched on to this way of thinking years ago. My life would have been so much easier. My life would have been so much better.

All my friends drink, gamble, and chase women, what's so wrong with that is what I used to think. It was no big deal to me. It's a guy thing. I was the same way. They are guys and that's what guys do. Now, I see how that was not only wrong but also self-destructive. It was bad behavior that hurt me as much as it hurt others. More mature in my philosophy now, I said good-bye to those destructive influences and to those friends who continued in their bad and negative ways. Surely, they weren't my real friends. They thought more of their vices than they did of me.

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