Practical Psychology is a weekly newspaper column I have been writing for over 20 years. It is designed to address psychological topics that are most useful to its readers. Please feel free to re-print any of them in any form you wish. I ask only that you give the information about how to subscribe and credit for authorship. Thanks.

THE CREATIVE POWER OF THOUGHT
By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

Have you ever been associated with people who always "bring you down?" Their thoughts, emotional expression, energy level, negativity and cynical attitude impacts you and you feel down, depressed and less energetic.

Likewise, have you ever been around people who seem to elevate your mood and inspire you? The way they talk, the ideas they share, how they express their feelings, their enthusiastic energy level and positive attitude, lifts your spirits and you feel better. You feel uplifted and more energized.

When you wrap your moods and feelings around others, you have empowered them to influence, even control your own emotional life. So you may wish to pick and choose those people with whom you associate.

Even better, take responsibility for your own emotions and feelings. Become the gatekeeper of your own heart. Let negative people in only when you feel emotionally strong enough to personally balance their negative impact. Let positive people in all the time.

Better still, fill your thinking time with affirmations, conceptualizations, ideas, visualizations and memories which are personally enjoyable, positive, goal-directed, beneficial to those around you. Then you can emotionally afford to let everyone into your heart. They might even be uplifted by you.

When two or more people share their joy and delight, the interaction can become sensational. Just like when two master tennis players play their best games with one another, the overall match is enjoyed by everyone. The quality of the match is more than the combination of individual play. The pleasure experienced by everyone is greater than the sum of the delight experienced by the two individual players. Such a phenomenon is called "synergy."

We know our bodies rarely respond to external events. Rather, they respond to the perceptions we create in our minds, the meaning we give to those perceptions, and the nature of our evaluations imposed on those perceptions. Mental activity has creative and definitive power beyond what you can readily imagine.

The nature, quality and value of your life is created and determined by the nature, quality and value of your habitual thinking patterns. If you are unhappy with your situation or circumstance, begin changing it by first, changing your thinking habits.

There are several ways to start changing your thinking. Here are a few suggestions.

Create an overall vision of the future you would like to have. Write down a comprehensive description of that vision. Write it in the present tense as if it were already manifested in your life. Memorize the description. Refer to it regularly.

Make a written list of at least 100 goals you would like to reach in your lifetime. They can be small victories, or huge dreams. Then need to be supportive of your creating your desired vision. Update the list regularly. Write "victory" beside each one accomplished.

Practice filling your mind with affirmations and images of you functioning within your desired lifestyle. Write down your affirmations and imaginings, your hopes and dreams. Record them and listen to them regularly. Collect pictures of your desired outcomes. Put self-esteem affirmations on your mirror. Regularly, paint, draw or sculpt your visualizations.

Help others realize their dreams. You will always create what you desire if you help enough people get what they want. Focus on the positive quality of your thinking and you create a reality of abundance and happiness. Then, you will beneficially impact others, rather than being a victim of circumstance or others' moods and behavior.

The content of your daily thought determines your attitude, your emotional responses, your creativity, and your view of yourself and your world. Is your thinking depressing or uplifting?

  • Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area presented in "Practical Psychology." Initial coaching sessions are free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or E-mail: DrLloyd@CreatingLeaders.com or LJTDAT@aol.com.

    Dr. Thomas also serves on the faculty of the Institute For Life Coach Training and the International University of Professional Studies. He recently co-authored (with Patrick Williams) the book: *Total Life Coaching: 50+ Life Lessons, Skills and Techniques for Enhancing Your Practice*and Your Life!* (W.W. Norton 2005) available at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com.

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