Do we make reality?

[HollyElise]

Harvard did a famous study where they interviewed graduates to see if they wrote down their goals. About 3% did. Decades later that 3% was worth more financially than the other 97% put together! They followed other things as well like happy marriages... and the goal writers appeared to have more success.

But there are a number of things that might explain this, and the most likely one is simply that they were clear on what they wanted and focussed their energies for achievement.

I like that idea about thanking God ahead of time. I wonder what the psychological effects of that would be.

[thespitfiredragon]

Tom Sawyer...I just have to shake my head at you guy. You seem to be around just to shake people up...which I've gotta admire...with you here it's not like we'll be without drama.
If you want to know the God-honest truth (and this may not apply to anyone but me) I started reading your post on Wilson...AND....it was long...in fact, it was REALLY long...I got bored and didn't really have the motivation to FINISH reading it. But TA-DA! I have now commented on it...so you can pat yourself on the back and be pleased that you've been noticed.

HollyElise...I'd never heard of that Harvard study...very interesting. Personally, I've had fair/good luck when it comes to thanking God beforehand. On a whimsical note...I can look for a misplaced item for hours, but the second when I say, "Okay, Heavenly Father, I'm a loser and I can't even find my shoe without you...you wanna help me out?" it's right there...in a spot that I'd already checked a million times. Anyone else have that happen?

[HollyElise]

You are going into your name-calling phase again, Tom. She did not call you any names and even paid you a compliment. That was uncalled for, so cut it out!

[HollyElise]

Originally posted by thespitfiredragon


HollyElise...I'd never heard of that Harvard study...very interesting. Personally, I've had fair/good luck when it comes to thanking God beforehand. On a whimsical note...I can look for a misplaced item for hours, but the second when I say, "Okay, Heavenly Father, I'm a loser and I can't even find my shoe without you...you wanna help me out?" it's right there...in a spot that I'd already checked a million times. Anyone else have that happen?

That's funny about the shoe!

No, I don't remember anything like that happening to me, but i'm going to try the "thanking God beforehand" this week and see what happens and i'll let you know. I think i will write them down in my journal as i go along so i can look back at the end of the week.

I had a very interesting discussion with someone a couple months ago where this guy was trying to convince me of the need to verbalize my reality. That's the best way i can put it, i think. He was explaining to me how native cultures recognize the importance of saying things out loud to make them real. And if it is not said out loud, it is not manefested. He said that when we think things in our head of who we are or how our world is that it has no definiteness about it until we speak it out loud, and that what we say out loud, because it then takes some form, needs to be something we want to be true. (I'm paraphrasing here so i hope i'm close to what he said).

What do you think? Is there such a great difference between what we think in our head is true and what we say out loud?

[thespitfiredragon]

Tom, Wilson may show you how to live, but CHRIST shows me how to live. But...to each his own. I wish you happiness and love in your life.


HollyElise...Personally I've had better luck when I pray aloud rather than just in my head. It could have something to do with actually verbalizing it or it may just be that I am forced to actually concentrate on my prayer rather than letting my mind wander.

I'm trying to think of an instance where something in my life was changed SPECIFICALLY by verbalizing it. I'll be on the lookout.

I read a book called "The Secret Meaning of Names" by Pierre Le Rouzic that has something to do with this. He believes that the different vibrations in people's names have an effect on their destiny...on what type of career they'll chose and what their personality will be. It's a little creepy, but my name profile fits me perfectly... Not only that, but every person I've shown the book to has had equal luck with their name profile. That could definitely be an instance of how verbalization determines reality.

[HollyElise]

I've heard of that book but i've never seen it. All i have to go on is the other Holly's i've known, and in one case in particular... the other Holly in my grade school... i just couldn't relate to her. Nice person, though.

I have no doubt though, that there are some influences to our psychology that are quite subtle.

One of my interests in this area is how attitude affects our luck. I know that expecting to find good fortune makes us notice more opportunities, whereas expecting things to go wrong will make us focus on the limitations and things that go wrong.

[thespitfiredragon]

Do you think that upbeat people actually have better luck, or do you think they just appear that way because they better handle their disappointments?