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Meaning do you think our thoughts alter what happens in the universe in a sense.
Perfect example of how i think it COULD work - when you feel yourself maybe coming down with a cold in the early stages, but if you don't mention it to anyone or "own" it, you could maybe prevent yourself from getting sick. Whereas if you start complaining about it to people "oh man i feel like i'm coming down with something" and you start putting it out into the universe as an idea, then you will probably start to get really sick.
I tried the positive thinking/law of attraction for four months last summer and got exactly the opposite in results. Truly. The complete 180 degree opposite. So, I find positive thinking/LOA to be crap.
As for our own bodies, the placebo effect is so well documented that there is really no argument about its validity. So as to our own health and well-being, the power of positive thinking does make a difference, but I believe that difference is impossible to quantify. We could get cancer or have a stroke (for example) despite all the positive thinking in the world, which is not a guarantee of anything.
As for other events not involving our own bodily health, it is a real stretch to believe that our own imaginings can lead to any particular outcomes. It seems to me this is wishful thinking. Thinking in positive ways, however, will probably keep our outlook more positive, other things being equal.
I believe in rational thinking. I have a lot of situations where I don't acknowledge being sick because I have a long history of sore throats for no reason. With this last one, I had a sore throat and just dismissed it. I was two days into a bad cold before I realized I was sick. So I don't think there was a way to "positive think" my way out of it.
I have a lot of anxiety. I avoid positive thinking and focus on facts and statistical probabilities. THat works better for me.
I tried the positive thinking/law of attraction for four months last summer and got exactly the opposite in results. Truly. The complete 180 degree opposite. So, I find positive thinking/LOA to be crap.
That depends on what your expectations were.
Self seeking is not answered.
Seeking the strength and wisdom to help others is answered.
Sitting down and seeking a new car, better job and new girlfriend will probably result in the opposite.
Thats they way it should work.
If you have a cold, you have a cold. You can't wish it away by denying its presence or refusing to acknowledge it. It is still there. Colds don't come from verbally "putting something out into the universe."
You can add to your own feeling poorly by moping around and being frustrated by it, though. You can maintain a positive outlook, which may help you feel emotionally better. But you'll still have the same cold you'd have otherwise. You may not suffer as much.
If you have a cold, you have a cold. You can't wish it away by denying its presence or refusing to acknowledge it. It is still there. Colds don't come from verbally "putting something out into the universe."
You can add to your own feeling poorly by moping around and being frustrated by it, though. You can maintain a positive outlook, which may help you feel emotionally better. But you'll still have the same cold you'd have otherwise. You may not suffer as much.
I'm not saying moping is a good thing, but I have found that "thinking positive" can be detrimental to the mental health of someone given to anxiety or depression. For example, when overcome by negative thoughts, I find it most helpful to imagine neutral and boring activities that I actually kind of enjoy. I will imagine myself folding laundry warm from the dryer or grocery shopping. If I think happy thoughts, I am ultimately undermined by it, especially when there's a legitimate reason for my anxiety. The come-down is just too much of a swing in the opposite direction.
Incessant negativity does increase stress, which can have health ramifications.
I believe in "the power of positive thinking" in the sense that it beats negativity and depression.
I don't think being upbeat will cure cancer, no, or that I can will something into being by positive thought power alone.
Right, but let's say you have someone who is constantly worried about getting cancer. so they freak out when they don't eat organic or something similar like that, or maybe they freak out when they use certain products because of chemicals they contain - perhaps the stress of that worry/paranoia has a better chance of making the person *susceptible* to cancer compared to the person who maybe just lives their life and doesn't really pay attention to that stuff.
In a nutshell - the worrying/stress will kill you way before cancer does.
Not saying this is true, i was just curious what other people think. I think there could be something to it.
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