Think Like a Proton

Think positive, that is! Okay, bad joke, but we all know there's too much negativity in the world these days, and I'm not just talking about those electrons zipping around. And it's easy for negative vibes to seep into our brains and poison our thinking. But there is a cure (or at least an effective treatment) and it's called...

Positive thinking. Or, if you prefer, positive affirmations. The internet and your local bookseller are teeming with pithy, uplifting quotes and wise sayings that convey feel-good messages. But according to mindvalley.com, it's not enough to just slap together a bunch of warm fuzzies. Brains are very literal and prefer affirmations that adhere to certain rules:

• They are in the present tense. So, no "will" or "was."
• They use only positive words. Apparently, brains aren't thrilled about expending extra energy to change those "don'ts" to "dos."
• They are statements of fact, as in "I am" or "I do."

Repetition is key. If you've tried to master a golf swing or tennis serve, you've probably been told that repetition strengthens the connections in the brain. Hence the old adage that practice makes perfect. And this, my friends, is where I failed miserably this week. I don't know why (maybe there's some ironic twist here), but I kept forgetting to positively affirm myself. When I did remember, I would get wishy-washy about exactly what I was affirming. My health? My happiness? My desire to manifest thicker hair and improved social skills?

Anyway, I learned that mentally half-assing some random bumper sticker slogans didn't quite cut it. But I'm not giving up, because I believe there's some truth in the assertion that we are what we think we are. Or, in this slightly more eloquent example:

"The mind is everything. What you think, you become." ~ Buddha

This week is a Keep It, and...what's that? You'd like to see the ultra-affirming opening scene from the 1995 movie Stuart Saves His Family? Happy to oblige.