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SINCE THIS ENTIRE BOOK has been built around the rewards of
positive thinking, this chapter will show you how to direct the flow
of personal power in various channels to enable you to attain
certain predetermined results.
We often hear people say: "I have a poor memory," or "I can't
relax," or "I get tired very easily," etc. I will mention several of
these conditions and suggest how you may beam your positive thoughts
in their direction for quick results.
Of course, once your entire thinking is on the positive side, you
will automatically hold positive thoughts regarding any condition
which might disturb you. But, as pointed out in an earlier chapter,
mental exercises will be required to enable you to change your
mental pattern from negative to positive. Until you dc reach the
position where it will be natural for you to "accentual the
positive," it would be good practice if you conscious! focused
positive directives toward the condition you wish t change.
I would suggest that you reread the following pages a few times so
that the various attributes will become familiar to you.
Some of the subjects listed have been treated in earlier chapters
but, for the convenience of having them all together, will again be
mentioned here.
Self-mastery. Until one can master himself, he will never
able to master others. In talking about mastering others, I not mean
dominating others. I mean that form of leaders! which makes people
follow because they want to, not because they are ordered to do so.
Self-mastery is that condition whereby your body is your servant and
not your master. It does as you direct—and does not direct you. (It
would be well to reread Chapter 4: Mind is Man.)
If you find you are controlled by certain habits which you would
like to overcome, instead of thinking of them as having enslaved
you, hold a thought of self-mastery by knowing you have the power to
overcome any unpleasant habit.
If laziness has been holding you back, learn to like the things you
have to do, instead of merely doing the things you like to do.
To develop self-mastery, dwell upon a thought such as:
"Each time a negative thought attempts to enter my mind, 1 will
immediately become aware of it and will dissolve it with a positive
thought. My self-confidence is mounting as day by day 1 gain greater
mastery over self."
Overcoming timidity. A good formula to use in changing any
condition is to concentrate on the condition you want, not the
condition you're attempting to overcome. To hold to a thought such
as: I will not be timid, gives power, to the existing timidity. You
do not want to be timid, so do not think about it. Instill in your
mind a thought such as:
"I like people. I like to be with people. I like to talk to people."
Do not merely use lip service. As you affirm the fact that you like
people and like to talk to people, actually see yourself enjoy¬ing—not
fearing—the company of others.
A woman who had been given this formula did not realize that her
timidity was fading away until one day, after a party, it struck her
that while there she had been thoroughly enjoying her conversation
with others. Accentuating the positive proved to be effective
therapy for her.
Gaining a magnetic personality. What is a magnetic
personality? Why is one person outstandingly attractive while others
seem so drab?
A magnetic personality is not something you see, but something you
feel.
The magnetism one projects to others comes from the heart.
It consists of love, friendliness, generosity, understanding, etc.
An individual with fine features and a good body can be repellent as
far as magnetic personality is concerned, while a person entirely
lacking in physical charm may have a most magnetic personality.
Therefore, since personal magnetism is an intangible thing,
something we project from within, it must be placed within the
category of mind. This means that, if necessary or desirable, it can
be changed by mind.
As interesting as it may seem, when you hold to the thought: I have
a magnetic personality, you are literally guided to do the things
which will give you a magnetic personality. You become friendly; you
are generous; you are understanding. You naturally do all of the
things which will attract others to you.
Along with your desire to like people, cultivate the habit of
thinking of their comfort and happiness in preference to your own.
Know that due to your genuine interest in other people, your
personality is growing more magnetic.
Mental concentration. People with a so-called "scatter-brain"
are often considered to be slightly mentally defective. This, except
in rare cases, is not so. The inability to concentrate is due to bad
mental habits we fall into. We will be thinking of one thing, then
another thought will enter our consciousness and power is given to
that thought with the result that the first one is lost. Then
another thought comes creeping along, power is given to that one,
and the second one is lost, etc., etc.
Mental concentration is our ability to hold on to one thought until
we are through with it, before going on to the next one.
The value of mental concentration is so great, it can rightfully be
referred to as an art, yet, it is so easy to acquire.
"I lack the ability to concentrate," many will say. Those who know
anything about the mind, know that to make such a state¬ment is
literally instructing the Creative Mind to bring about such a
condition.
Unless you really want to be a "scatter-brain," never again give
utterance to the thought that you can't concentrate.
To develop the powers of concentration, build upon a thought such
as:
"I am blessed with great powers of mental concentration. I can hold
my thoughts on a single idea until I elect to discharge it from my
mind."
Building a Retentive Memory. Whenever you use the
expressions: "I have forgotten," or "I can't remember," you are
putting the powers of mind to work—but, against you. You know by now
that such thoughts are accepted by your Creative Mind as
instructions, and the Creative Mind works accordingly. In this case,
it would work toward giving you a bad memory. It would see to it
that you did forget—or could not remember.
The Creative Mind is your storehouse of memory. It has retained
everything you have heard, seen or read since your birth, right up
to the present moment. To forget means that you lack the ability to
bring into consciousness that which you already have in your
Creative Mind.
A good memory is merely an awareness of a good memory. The one with
a good memory is not always thinking: "I have a bad memory," is he?
No! He knows he has a good memory.
If you want a good memory, never use the words: "forgotten," or
"can't remember." Instead, just know that the facts you want will be
forthcoming.
If you want to bring a fact into consciousness, and it does not come
readily, instead of saying: "I have forgotten," say something like:
"It will come to me in a moment," and it will.
So, from this moment onward, think in terms of: "I have a good
memory." You will be surprised to find that your memory is good.
Art of conversation. It is easier than you think to acquire
the art of conversation.
A good conversationalist is one who will pick his subject matter
according to the tastes of those listening. He will refrain from
anything of a controversial nature as he knows that if his listeners
do not agree with him, he will at once prove unpopular.
Arthur Brisbane, one of the greatest editorial writers of this
century, said: "To win the favor of the public, tell them something
they already know—and they'll agree with you."
Would you believe me if I said that the quickest way to become a
good conversationalist is to gain an awareness of being a good
conversationalist?
To say: "I wish I were a good conversationalist," is to admit that
you are not—and don't expect to be.
Instead, accentuate the positive, by building on the thought: "/ am
a good conversationalist." Do not say it once or twice. Say it many,
many times. And practice! When with people, see how much you can add
to the conversation. Do not hog the conversation, but be ready to
advance your thoughts as the occasion arises.
Peaceful sleep. One of the first chapters of this book is
devoted to a discussion of sleep. It will help you if you review it
occasionally.
Remember! When you retire with a doubt in your mind as to whether or
not you will sleep, the chances are strong that you will not sleep.
When you retire with the thought that it is wonderful to be
thoroughly relaxed and stretched out in bed, free of tight clothing,
it is most likely you will not stay awake very long.
Art of relaxation. "Oh, I just can't relax," is a statement I often
hear. When I hear it, I reply by saying: "I am sure that is true."
It is true because the "can't relax" thought acts as an instruction
to the Creative Mind to keep the one who thinks it tense.
When you are tense you are burning energy. When you are relaxed you
are storing energy.
Develop a relaxation consciousness. Know you can relax. When
one is fully relaxed, he loses body consciousness. He is not aware
of legs and arms and body. He is almost like a mind afloat.
Practice relaxation. Learn to sit down and feel a looseness
throughout the entire body. Ten minutes of such relaxation will do
you lots of good, since short periods of relaxed rest are more
beneficial than longer periods when the body is tense.
Have you ever noticed what a master of relaxation a cat is? He will
look very sleepy, then yawn a couple of times and drop off into
peaceful sleep. In just a few minutes he will open his eyes wide and
be thoroughly refreshed.
Remember to accentuate the positive as far as relaxation is
concerned.
Until you master the art of relaxation, give your mind frequent
instructions, such as:
"I am master of my being and can fully relax at will. My mind is
dwelling on peaceful, harmonious thoughts."
The Possession of Poise. Just as you enjoy being with people
of poise, so, too, will others enjoy being with you when you reflect
poise.
The real meaning of poise, according to Webster, is to be in
balance. This, it seems to me, is a good definition as far as humans
are concerned. We think of the one who can keep himself under
control under all conditions as showing poise.
Thomas Jefferson said: "Nothing gives one person so much advantage
over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all
circumstances."
The person of poise possesses many desirable characteristics, some
of them being:
A controlled disposition
Ability to reason soundly
Correctness of judgment
Sincerity toward himself and others
Faculty of overlooking or profiting by adverse criticism
Pride that is free from vanity
Will to resist temptation
Faith in his ability to accomplish
Ample ambition to strive constantly for self-improvement
Freedom from timidity.
Remember! Accentuate the positive. Constantly see yourself as
possessing all of the attributes which give you the poise so much
admired by others.
Overcoming fatigue. The remarks that follow relate to psychosomatic
fatigue. If your energy is continually at low ebb, have a careful
examination by your doctor, and be guided by him.
Many people get tired because they expect to get tired. If they
awaken in the morning, facing a day of many duties, they will allow
a feeling of fatigue to start almost immediately, because they
anticipate that by the end of the day they will be exhausted. And,
they are usually right. By nightfall they are tired. In such cases,
it has been the mind—more than the work—which made them tired.
There are two types of fatigue, natural and psychosomatic. Natural
fatigue is weariness resulting from bodily or mental exertion,
according to one dictionary. It is easy to accept fatigue as being
weariness from bodily exertion, but there is no such thing as mental
fatigue, according to Bruce Bliven, who said:
Laymen often speak of "mental fatigue" or "brain fag," thinking that
long, concentrated mental effort produces tiredness in the brain
itself. Yet scientists believe that this state cannot exist. Your
brain is not like your muscles. Its operations are not muscular but
electro-chemical in character, comparable in part to a
direct-current wet-cell battery.
When your brain appears tired after hours of mental work, the
fatigue is almost certainly located in other parts of your body;
your eyes, or muscles of your neck and back. The brain itself can go
almost indefinitely.
ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
There are several things one might do to avoid psychosomatic
fatigue, which is the condition in which a person's mind generates
fatigue, because he expects to get tired:
Learn to like the things you have to do.
Start the day by doing the most difficult things first.
Keep your mind on the ease with which you work.
Relax at each opportunity.
Fill your mind with happy thoughts.
This chapter is a most valuable one. Place a bookmark at its
beginning so that you can locate it readily. It will help you in
gaining many blessings in life by continually accentuating the
positive.
Have you ever noticed the plus (+) and minus (—) signs on the
storage battery in your automobile? The plus sign indicates the
positive pole; the minus sign, the negative pole.
Until you reach the point of being naturally positive minded, why
not take a piece of soap, and on your bathroom mirror place a small
+ sign? Each time you see it, you will be reminded to check your
thinking to make certain you really are accentuating the positive.
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