The fear – hope spectrum that I shared with you yesterday needs some further discussion. This is my own perspective from my work and research in psychology. I am taking the ideas shared by Michael Lerner on Sunday and relating them to what I have been writing about for making 2009 a powerful and successful year.
Fear is the contracted and closed state caused by our thinking. Hope is the open and expansive state also caused by our thinking. Fear is the state in which we feel out of control so we seek more power and control. Hope is the state in which we feel optimistic and trusting in things working out for the better. Fear causes blocking of the heart and the closing of the mind. Hope causes the heart and the mind to open to infinite possibilities.
Which state will work best in creating the life we want? The answer seems obvious but not so easy to follow through on because we are creatures of habit and repetitive thought. We tend to think the same way over and over again unless we become conscious of our thoughts. Our inner dialogue runs along saying the same things to us all the time. This will need to change if we want to change our lives.
Let’s get specific, look around you and see what you are causing to happen in your life. If your life is working well and you are surrounded with what you want, congratulations you mind is working well and hope is part of your way. If you look around and things are not at all what you want, then you will have to look at your thoughts because they are most likely negative and fearful.
You mind is constantly deciding with your thoughts where you are on the spectrum of fear and hope. Fear doesn’t work if you want to have a life of prosperity, freedom joy, and love. Hope will make you life work out the way you want it to.
This is true not only in your own life but also in your community and for the nation. If leadership is based on fear it will run the government with power and control as the goal. If leadership is based on hope the government with be run by thoughtful ideas, compassion and for the good of all.
It seems clear to me that you and I need to be conscious of our thoughts. We need to make sure they are positive and hopeful so that we can have the life we want and a government that supports the best in all of us.
Today and from now on make it your goal to listen in and hear what you are thinking. If there is hope, compassion, optimism and encouragement, joy, freedom and love in your thoughts, you will have a wonderful life.