The power of positive thinking- do you believe?

[Ansumpasty]

Does anyone believe in the power of positive thinking/laws of attraction or read The Secret?

I read it when things were going great it my life and really believed it. Going though a hard time at the moment and people who have read this book, or who just believe in the laws of attraction, seem to jump at the chance to tell me I’m bringing it all on myself with negative thinking. This, in turn, makes me feel so much fucking worse.

AIBU to think it’s got to be a load of nonsense. I mean, 2 year olds don’t ‘think’ themselves a brain tumour...

It’s a load of utter shite.

Of course it's bullshit OP. That anyone would use bollocks like that to make you feel bad tells you all you need to know about that person.

If it worked we'd all be sitting in penthouses in Monaco and pissing money up on yachts and art etc. We're not - and won't be no matter how hard we concentrate on wanting it!

It’s all tripe sold to fools
Ditto star signs

I want to believe it, I know people who do but I’m skeptical

I don’t know any LOA ‘believer’ who believes that negative thoughts bring about bad shit?

I ‘believe’ it. I think it’s more like when you buy a new car you see it everywhere. I choose to be grateful for what I have and say thank you to God/the universe. It has helped me to think more postivively most of the time.

I’m not like a die hard LOA-er but I think calling other people’s beliefs BS is really harsh.

Yes I absolutely do believe. Not necessarily because positive thinking gets you what you want but because a generally positive attitude helps you to see opportunity where others see adversity.

I can give numerous examples of when terrible situations turned out for the best. DH and I both losing "jobs for life" in the same week, for example.

I mean I believe in the power of positive thinking. I have no idea what The Secret is.

Very early in my career I was sent on a course where the mantra was "if it's to be it's up to me". Corny as hell but it has stayed with me and served me well.

It's utter shit.

Some people are naturally more optimistic than others, so will see the positive in every situation.

It is utter bullshit. Calling bullshit on bullshit is not ‘harsh’, it’s pointing out the moronic wrong-headedness of explaining away inequality of opportunity, poverty, poor health or bad luck by making it the ‘victim’s’ fault for not thinking positively enough about a new car or functional lungs.

Its all bullshit imo

Good thoughts or bad thoughts are all in the perception of the individual.
Of you are aware of negative thoughts and aware of positive thoughts then what is it that is aware.
All thoughts are impermanent. All thoughts are not real.
Thoughts are only real if you believe them. If you believe them then thoughts become your reality.

Sorry to hear you are going through a tough time OP .

People who are telling you are bringing this on yourself is not that helpful at all! What would be more helpful is having someone with a sympathetic ear or able to help.

I don't necessarily believe - but I do thinking more positively is a good thing generally. I can be quite negative and am quite hard on myself so I find reminding myself of what is good helpful, and focusing on what I can do about a situation rather than the problem itself.

I never used to but I started to believe that if you have a negative outlook, then you will somehow bring more negativity into your life. My days seem to run smoother if I keep a positive outlook.

A few months back I attended a massive trade show. Bought an item, handed over my business card to be entered in to their prize draw. I just knew I was going to win. Two hours later, I got the call to say I'd won the prize and to go to their stand to collect it.

I think perhaps it’s one of those that seem believable when things are good but not so much when things are awful.

Thank you, @RoseJam

I’ve a friend who believes in The Secret and laws of attraction. She’s been doing it for years but still hasn’t got what she wanted.
It only works if you become proactive. You can’t just think it and wait for it to happen all by itself...

Sorry to hear you are going through a bad time at the moment OP.

I haven't read The Secret but would agree with Charles that you can't just sit and wait for it to arrive, it does take effort! Also agree with noego that is down to the individual's perception of events, especially the everyday stuff that happens to us all like an appliance breaking down - some of us just think it's a pain and might moan a bit, others will take to FB with status updates about how/why does this stuff always happen to them. It is fascinating to see how differently the same issue can be perceived by different people.

No. When I was younger and more optimistic, I tried religiously to think positively about something I really wanted to happen, for a period of about 18 months. It wasn't anything wildly unachievable or unrealistic. It got me nowhere.

Nowadays I try to imagine the worst, so anything better than terrible seems like a bonus.

We don't find the answers. We lose the questions.

Zen saying

I don't like positive thinking being paired with The Secret.

Positive Thinking, as in the original meaning is good for us, mentally. It also has positive health benefits. Buddhist meditation/way of thinking has also been proved to work. That also rejects a negative lifestyle.

It doesn't get you what you want, as in Big material stuff, but it does help to set realistic goals that you can do.

It depends on how you measure success. Negative thinking stops you enjoying life and taking up opportunities, or even being offered them.

So in that sense positive thinking makes you more successful.