How To Entertain a Thought

Written by Maya Talisman Frost


After studying scores of great thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci, I think I've stumbled upon what really set them apart fromrepparttar rest ofrepparttar 130625 folks living (and thinking) atrepparttar 130626 same time.

It's remarkably simple. They learned how to entertain a thought.

Aristotle said, "It isrepparttar 130627 mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

Hmmm. To entertain a thought without accepting it.

We need to do that. Everyone needs to learn how to be a good host or hostess to new ideas. In fact, our goal should be to becomerepparttar 130628 Martha Stewart of mental entertaining!

What if you treated a new thought like a guest?

It's easier to think about mental entertaining if we put together a to-do list, just like Martha. Here it is:

#1 Makerepparttar 130629 first move. First of all, you issue an invitation. Nothing fancy. You don't have to make any major investment or lifelong commitment. You're simply inviting this person in. It'srepparttar 130630 same with initiatingrepparttar 130631 entertainment of an idea. You might see a quote onrepparttar 130632 side of a bus somewhere, and decide you'd like to explore that concept more deeply. Or, maybe you find yourself bumping intorepparttar 130633 same topic allrepparttar 130634 time, and so you make up your mind to learn more about it. Either way, you need to be ready to initiaterepparttar 130635 process. Don't hide--you won't meet new ideas if you scurry away wheneverrepparttar 130636 doorbell rings.

#2 Prepare. Uh-oh. Your house is a mess. You'd better do some cleaning. You're not really trying to impress, but hey, you could certainly do some sprucing up and getrepparttar 130637 place looking neat and inviting.

Prepare for a new thought inrepparttar 130638 same way. Make some space in your mind to think about something new. According to Deepak Chopra,repparttar 130639 well-known author on health and longevity,repparttar 130640 average human has 60,000 thoughts a day. Pretty impressive? Well, here's repparttar 130641 kicker: 57,000 of those arerepparttar 130642 same ones you had YESTERDAY! Now that's some serious clutter! Get rid of a few of those dusty old thoughts and make room for new ones.

#3 Offer a warm greeting. When your new guest arrives, be warm and inviting. After all, you're hoping to start a friendship. Put your best foot forward.

It'srepparttar 130643 same with an idea. If you face it with skepticism, fear or detachment, you won't be entertaining it for long. You'll be eyeing your watch, yawning, or looking for a way to endrepparttar 130644 discussion early. You've got to be open and full of anticipation to prepare an environment in which new ideas will be explored and integrated fully. Just as it's no fair making lame excuses or having your friend call to interruptrepparttar 130645 visit, it's also cheating to cut out too soon when it comes to entertaining an idea.

#4 Make introductions. T This isrepparttar 130646 big one. You would certainly introduce your guest to everyone atrepparttar 130647 party, with a special effort to connect them to those with whom they may have something in common.

Any new idea you consider will be more likely to be welcomed if you actively and intentionally introduce it to your other ideas and interests. Look for unusual and inspired pairings. How does it fit? Where does it fit? DOES it fit? You won't know until you try.

Picture Leonardo Da Vinci's mental entertaining. His new idea, Human Flight, arrives, and immediately Leo sets about introducing him to others. "Human, meet my good friend, Engineering, and his lovely wife, Fabric Design. Oh, and have you met Bird Anatomy? She lives just aroundrepparttar 130648 corner from you. Oh, Dr. Entomology has arrived! Listen, Dr. E is absolutely brilliant, but a bit hard of hearing. Ask her about her recent work onrepparttar 130649 wings of insects! Now, you all make yourselves comfy and I'll go get some more wine."

Bolstering Beliefs

Written by Louise Morganti Kaelin


At some time in your life you have probably used affirmations or other positive self-talk to change an attitude, opinion or behavior. The more you have done this, repparttar more you know that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

What makesrepparttar 130623 difference? Why are there times when you only need to sayrepparttar 130624 affirmation once and your whole life changes? And yet you repeat other affirmations religiously for days, weeks, months and sometimes even years and nothing happens?

I believe thatrepparttar 130625 difference between positive affirmations that work and those that don't arerepparttar 130626 underlying beliefs you hold regardingrepparttar 130627 topic at hand. If, for example, you want to experience a loving relationship and your underlying beliefs supportrepparttar 130628 idea that you are lovable, thenrepparttar 130629 door opens to allow a relationship in. If, however, you don't really believe that you are lovable, or worthy, or good enough, that belief will negate allrepparttar 130630 positive energy you expend to create a loving relationship.

It is interesting that negative beliefs don't stop us wanting or desiring something. It's also interesting that repparttar 130631 belief is stronger thanrepparttar 130632 desire. I think it's because our beliefs are much deeper, living as they do for repparttar 130633 most part in our unconscious. They often come from our parents and our childhood experiences, particularly from our interpretation of those messages and experiences.

The best way to figure out if this is going on in your life is to make a list of those items you have 'actively' desired and that you still have not been able to create. Then, think aboutrepparttar 130634 beliefs you would need to have in order to support those desires. That's what I'm calling 'bolstering beliefs'.

The following exercise is a good way to get atrepparttar 130635 underlying negative beliefs in order to change them.

1. Draw a line downrepparttar 130636 middle of a piece of paper, dividing repparttar 130637 page into two columns.

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
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