You are what you think

After graduating college, I stumbled upon a book called The Secret, which was very popular years ago; the timing couldn't have been any better! Now the lesson I learned from the book is that once a thought occurs in your mind, it is automatically captured and willed into being. The book boldly stated that some of the bad things that happen to us are things that we have willed into being, in lemans term we jinx ourself. When I recommend the book to others, I explain that it is a book about faith written without using the word faith in order to appeal to a broader non-religious audience. As I meditated upon a topic, it occurred to me how true this book was and wanted to share it with others. 

While residing in NYC during 2010, I racked up parking and speeding tickets over a $1,000. It was not unusual to hear me talk about how parking meters hated me, for some reason the time seemed to always go faster when I parked there. It was almost all I could think of, how to get rid of current tickets and how to avoid getting more; only to incur even more tickets. Then I remembered the lesson in The Secret, about how when you focus your attention on a particular issue you mind actually registers that you want that thing to occur. So I sacrificed and paid off all my tickets, and vowed to no longer get another parking ticket, I since haven't  and I won't knock on wood because I just know I won't. 

The bible tells us to call things to be as though they are, that is truly the secret of the Christian life. We are bound to experience trauma, pain, hurt, and challenges, but the goal is to endure and not be moved by present circumstances and rather shift our focus to how things will be once "this" passes. As we focus daily on the good things that await we are able to deal with the unpleasant situations, learn what we ought to learn, and persevere. Know that as your mind conceives possibilities, you will be able to address any issues life throws you. 

Be positive! Be empowered!