| Every day thousands of thoughts roll through your | | | | with positive thoughts. To do this, you must have a |
| head. Some are negative and some are positive, | | | | stockpile of them ready. For this you should begin by |
| depending on your personality and outlook on life. In | | | | thinking about all the good things in your life. Write |
| pessimistic people up to 80 percent of these | | | | them down. A few examples are: |
| thoughts are negative, in other words, they are | | | | - Your goals. Make sure you have some. They are |
| associated with such things as fear, anxiety, hate, | | | | particularly important for success in life. If you've |
| depression and worry. And, as you might expect, this | | | | never made a list, do it now. |
| makes them unhappy most of the time. In a few | | | | - Your family. In particular, your spouse and children, |
| people, on the other hand, these thoughts are mostly | | | | but brothers and sister are also important. |
| positive, and it's easy to see from the looks on their | | | | - Your health. This may be something that is driving |
| faces that they are relatively happy. That's not to | | | | your negative thoughts, but remember that it could |
| say that they never have problems and are happy | | | | always be worse. Think about how lucky you are |
| almost all the time. Everyone has problems, but | | | | that is as good as it is. |
| optimistic people know how to handle them, and | | | | - Your friends. Think about their smiling faces and |
| don't let negativity rule their lives. And as a result, | | | | what they mean to you. This will always bring a smile |
| they live much happier lives. The key, then, to living a | | | | to your face. |
| longer and happier life is in controlling your thoughts. | | | | - All the things you have. Some examples are; a car, |
| Happy, optimistic people are not immune to negative | | | | a beautiful house, a beautiful yard, pets and lots of |
| thoughts. As with almost everybody, they crop up | | | | other things |
| continuously and try to crowd their way in, and push | | | | - Your talents and abilities. Think about how lucky |
| out happy thoughts, but optimistic people make it as | | | | you are to have some of the talents and abilities that |
| difficult as possible for them to get in. If you want to | | | | you have. Everybody has things that few other |
| be happier you have to learn how to deal with | | | | people have. |
| negative thoughts, and as I'm sure that you know, | | | | - Your youth (assuming you have it). This may not |
| they come in many forms. Fear that you might lose | | | | seem like much to you, but ask an 80-years old how |
| your job, fear of getting sick or coming down with a | | | | important it is and you may get an earful. |
| serious disease, depression because life is so boring, | | | | - How lucky you are, in general. |
| anxiety because you can't seem to get anything | | | | These are your defense against negative thoughts, |
| done, anxiety because you're getting old, an old | | | | so think seriously about them and memorize the list |
| grievance against someone you once liked, are only a | | | | you make up. Deposit them in your memory "bank." |
| few examples of negative thoughts. Dwell on them | | | | Then, each time you have a negative thought, make |
| too long and you'll soon feel miserable and may end | | | | a withdrawal. Bring one of these positive thoughts |
| up sick. And of course, no one really wants that. | | | | into your mind, and since it's impossible to think of |
| The key to a longer, healthier and happier life is to | | | | two things at once, it will crowd out any negative |
| get rid of these thoughts. You can do it for a short | | | | thought that might be there. It might seem that this |
| time by letting your mind go blank - in other words, | | | | is a lot of trouble to go to every time you have a |
| thinking about nothing. This will help, but it won't work | | | | negative thought, but if you practise it for a while it |
| for long. Thoughts of some type will soon creep in to | | | | will soon become second nature, and you won't have |
| fill the vacuum, and if you're not careful, some - | | | | to think about it - it will be automatic. And in the long |
| even, most - of them will again be negative. What | | | | it will make you much happier. |
| you have to do as quickly as possible is fill your mind | | | | |