You Really Can Think Yourself Happy

Believe it or not, it is within your power to create positive thoughts allowing you to accomplish anything you set out to do.  Can you really think yourself happy?  The answer is a qualified yes. Here are the ways in which positive thoughts can help you accomplish many things in life.

Positive thoughts produce positive results.  We can either bemoan our situation, or change it. We can be negative about an event or enthusiastic. President Lincoln once said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” If you really want to think yourself happy, then make up your mind to do so. 

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Green Energy – The Way of the Future

You may have heard a lot about green energy the past year or so. Whether you’ve jumped on the green energy bandwagon or not, it is definitely not a trend. Green energy is the way of the future. Let’s take a look at exactly what green energy is, why it’s important and how you can use it to improve your life and your environment.

What is Green Energy?
Green energy is energy that produces little if no by products that harm the environment. For example, fossil fuels like oil are expensive to mine, destructive to the environment during the actual drilling process and produce many toxic byproducts. These very same by products have been directly contributing to greenhouse gases and global warming not to mention polluting our waterways and air.

Green energy, like solar, wind, and geothermal do not cause destruction to the environment either during their harvesting stage or as a byproduct. When you use solar cells for example to store and create energy, you’re using energy directly from the sun. There’s no by product create and no waste.

Benefits of Green Energy
The benefits of green energy are vast. Initially you may think about two primary environmental benefits. They include no waste or pollution from the energy sources or emissions. Eliminating harmful emissions would drastically improve our planet’s outlook and virtually eliminate global warming caused by greenhouse gasses.
Additionally, green energy means no more destruction of the earth as we harvest fossil fuels. No more oil spills, digging in the midst of our pristine wilderness and destroying our natural resources.

However, beyond the immediate and apparent environmental benefits, in the long run green energy is significantly more cost effective. Imagine if your entire home ran on energy from the sun? How much a month would that save you in heating your home and in your electric bill?

Over the course of a year you’d save a thousand dollars or more, right? What about over the course of ten years? Yes, initially it will cost to transfer your energy source from fossil fuels to green energy sources, but that initial expense is usually paid for within a few years.

Green energy is infinitely sustainable and economically sound. That’s why it is the wave of the future.

How to Use Green Energy
The good news is that green energy can be utilized in smaller increments. You don’t have to change your entire home over to sustainable fuel sources in one fell swoop. You can add a few solar panels, use passive solar, and support sustainable practices. Some energy companies even offer a membership where you can specify a certain amount of your energy come from wind or solar. This depends on where you live but check it out.

Finally, you can support businesses that use green energy. It may take a while to spread throughout the world, however green energy is more than a passing phase, it is the wave of the future.

Rude!

I’ve noticed more and more lately how quick many people are to jump to conclusions. And those conclusions are always “the worst”. Many people these days seem to automatically assume “the worst” about everything. And they don’t hesitate to get in your face about it – without finding out the truth, first.

I’ve notice this is especially true with emails and posts. Maybe they somehow feel safe using the computer to confront and/or harass people, rather than face-to-face. It’s as if many people automatically assume others are trying to scam, cheat or steal from them. I realize that a lot of these things do happen, but I’m not so cynical yet, that I believe every single person/company out there is a criminal.

When I read these things, or see this kind of behavior, it automatically puts me on the defensive, whether it’s about me or not. Quite honestly, I don’t fully understand it. Is it really necessary to be just plain rude and mean? And, if your behavior causes others to have an “on-the-defense”, knee-jerk reaction, is it really worth it to cause that sort of animosity in others?

Maybe it’s just me – although I really don’t believe my life has been all that “sheltered”. My parents and grandparents always told me that you “can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar”…they also taught me the Golden Rule and to try to be polite and considerate of others – even if you don’t know them. (I have found this to be true when I have been the consumer, as well -- I always seem to get what I want/need as long as I am respectful and polite.)

Also, in my professional life, I learned how to deal with people in a polite and professional manner, even if it meant dealing with disgruntled employees or customers. There are ways to deal with people, without being mean, hateful or just plain rude.

I don’t know about you, but I hate to get all riled up about stuff. I personally think it takes way more energy to be mean, than it does to be nice!

Ok – so there’s my rant for today. I try not to complain much, but this has bothered me for a long time…and the next one that refuses to let me over on the freeway better watch out! (just kidding)

Anybody else notice this?

It's All In Your Head - Literally

I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have heard that phrase. There have been those who have been in pain, have gone in for a Doctor’s Visit only to be told that there is nothing wrong with them, and that it was “all in their heads”. I have noticed that in recent years, more and more people are discovering that yes – it IS all in my head – Literally! By that I mean, it’s all a mind-set . Whatever you believe you can do – you CAN do.

If you believe you’re sick, you will be. If you believe you’re thin, you are. If you have a thought somewhere in your lifetime that you will always be in debt or struggle with saving money – even if you never dwelled on that thought or really gave much time to it – guess what? You WILL be in debt and you WILL have trouble saving money! If you believe you don’t deserve better, you will never have better.

After watching this past season of CBS’ Reality TV Show, Big Brother (Season 10), I realized that there were at least two people on the show that I could really resonate with. One of them happened to be the winner, Dan Gheesling, who is a Catholic School Teacher and Football Coach from Michigan.

During the show, sometimes difficult competitions would have some of the houseguests giving up on themselves. On more than one occasion, I heard Dan tell them, “It’s all mental”. Since the conclusion of the show, I read an article written by his sister, in which she writes that this phrase was something that Dan would frequently say to her. (http://detroit.metromix.com/tv/article/big-brother-10-detroits/636577/content)

I’m not sure if the others knew what Dan meant by that – but I did. I knew exactly what he meant.

Additionally, another article that I read stated that before Dan left for the show, he had no doubt whatsoever in his mind that he would win – that he was 100% confident. (http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/092108/loc_20080921003.shtml)

Have you ever heard the phrase, “what you think about, you bring about”? Basically, that means that whatever you dwell on, whatever thought you decide to put your energy into…will be. It will happen – whether you like it or not. Remember all of those times that you just “knew” something bad was going to happen, and after it really did happen, you said, “See, I just knew that was going to happen”? Well, you were right – it DID happen, and you KNEW it – because you held that in your mind, you put your energy to it and you had no doubt about it, whatsoever.

The benefits of thinking positively and believing in yourself are far more than just making your day a little brighter. That’s what I used to think. I always hated to hear people tell me to think positive when I was having a really crappy day or something bad was happening in my life. I used to think it was all BS. But now I know better.

So for now, just remember to believe in yourself – no matter what the situation is. Let all doubts fly out the window. You don’t need them anyway! And when you think you CAN’T – just remember The Little Engine That Could … “I think I can! I think I can!” It really IS that simple.

**All of the views expressed in this blog are the Opinions of its author.**