• by Patricia Paulsen • Norman Vincent Peale, a contemporary of Paramahansa Yogananda, was born in 1898. Living in New York, he reached out to inspire people through his ministry and writing. In 1952, his book The Power of Positive Thinking was reviewed by mental health professionals who claimed his “radical” ideas were going to mislead people. He lost friends and got bad publicity, but his controversial book became a best seller that endures today. It was written with the sole objective of helping people achieve a happy, satisfying and worthwhile life.
Dr. Peale’s main point was that positive thinking is the foundation of happiness. His principles are used today in most self-help groups, life coaching, motivational speeches, and in spiritual practices. He wrote:
Pray a great deal, and let your prayer take the form of thanksgiving. Cast out those old, dead, unhealthy thoughts; substitute for them new vital dynamic thoughts. You can depend upon it: an inflow of creative healthy thoughts will remake you and your life. Negative thoughts may vie for your attention, but the new and healthy thoughts will now be stronger and better fortified and therefore able to replace them.
How can we train our minds to think positively? Today science tells us:“While we appreciate positive experiences, we are much more finely attuned and give much greater weight to negative experiences like fear, threats, or even just bad news.” (Jeff Haden, “Psychology Today”)
Negative experiences are quickly imprinted in our longterm memory. However, positive experiences and thoughts require that we hold onto them for twelve seconds (or longer) in order to create a longterm memory. Neuropsychologist Rich Hanson says “The brain is like velcro to negative experiences and Teflon to positive ones.” That being the case, we have to consciously apply ourselves, focusing on the good to stay in a positive healthy frame of mind.
Try it! Catch the good moments, and hold onto them. When something positive comes your way, hold that thought for at least 12 seconds. Plant positive seeds in your memory and watch your life transform.
This is a life process; it’s going to take time to create a new habit of thinking more positively. Believe in yourself! Have faith and confidence in your abilities! Catch the moment before moving into gossip, snippy remarks that are not necessary or
kind. Forgive yourself and others. Start filling your mind with creative healthy thoughts. Replace the weeds of negative thoughts with positive thought seeds and enjoy the peace of mind this brings. Thoughts only stay alive by the energy you give them.
Meditation trains the mind to slip into a calm peace, the wellspring of positive creative thinking. Here we have the power to plant seeds in the living field of consciousness within and around us. What a gift!
