In my last post I included a quote from John Assaraf as part of a call for you to ask yourself if you are living or just existing. Since that post I learned that Assaraf and other teachers featured in The Secret have been associated with scams as people say that their claims and ideas did not produce what was promised and expected. Assaraf has built his brand on the concept of “mind retraining” and his company offers services designed to help people think themselves into a better life. As with any debate about positive thinking, the same question comes up again and again, “Can you THINK your life better?”

If you follow this blog you already know my opinion on this issue…OF COURSE YOU CAN! Not just because someone told me or because I’ve read scientific studies finding evidence to support the claim (which I have), but purely because I have experienced it myself. This, however, begs the question of what one considers to be a better life. Has positive thinking given me more money? No. Has positive thinking got me a better job? No. Has positive thinking caused all my dreams to suddenly come true in some cosmic explosion of good fortune? No. But, positive thinking has completely changed the way I approach life and its challenges. My purposeful effort to consider the benefit of even the worse situations helps me manage life much more effectively. Do I get disappointed? Yes. Do I feel down from time to time? Absolutely. Is every thought that ever passes through my mind one of awesomeness and great things? Of course not, I’m human. The idea is that I have learned not to allow those negative thoughts to overtake me. I won’t allow them to dictate my mood or to fester and grow into a mindset that produces defeat. NO! The mind is the greatest tool we have yet somehow we willingly use it to destroy our very own lives by choosing to think only on things contrary to what we want in our lives.

So, do I think people have been scammed? Do I still believe in The Secret even in the midst of scandal? What I believe is simple. Making the decision to “retrain” your mind (or thoughts) is a decision that anyone can make at any time. If someone feels they need to purchase a book, service, or other product to help them with that effort who am I to say otherwise. For me, positive thinking resonates with everything I have learned about faith and has helped propel my spiritual growth. It hasn’t been easy and it’s required that I block out the comments and opinions of others, some of whom I love very dearly, to have an impact. So, if someone purchased a book/service/product in the hopes that it would help to retrain their thinking, the success or failure of that purchase lies in the very thing it was designed to change.

Think Legacy.  

I am a Christian and my faith is my lifeline. As I learn on my Journey to Legacy I am amazed to see that there are some Christians who find issue with the idea of positive thinking. Somehow there's are argument that thinking positively diminishes one's believing in or trusting God. I won't get into debate on this opinion but am using this opportunity to begin a new category of blog posts called "It's Debatable" in which I will present my thoughts on different issues that spark debate relevant to Journey to Legacy. For this topic, my thoughts are best expressed  in the following Bible verse which is one that I use often for encouragement:

Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.