At the risk of sounding like a real hard ass, I’m going to be honest with you – I have issues with “The Secret”.
For those of you who have been living in the wilderness and haven’t been able to read the newspaper, watch TV or hang out at the water cooler – “The Secret” is the newest self-help craze sweeping the nation. Basically, it’s a new take on an old idea. The power of positive thinking. The idea that just by projecting positive thoughts you can control your destiny – even to the point of affecting circumstances that you may have thought were beyond your control.
The secret goes beyond the simple quest for health and happiness, why stop there?
Think positive thoughts and before you know it your life resembles a hip hop video – you suddenly find yourself living in a phat crib, driving a blinged out car, with two pugs who have Snoop on speed-dial.
My friend Carla knows someone who has become something of a “Secret Groupie” – she said spending a weekend with this person was quite disconcerting. The “SG” would pick the most inopportune moments to shout out various affirmations. For example, if they drove by a beautiful mansion the SG would scream “Yes, it will be mine someday! I will live there with my handsome husband the Doctor, and our 2.5 kids!”
Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in the power of positive thinking. Several years ago I went through a time when I was suffering from great anxiety. The irony is most of the people in my life had no idea that anything was even wrong, it’s not like I was holding up an “I am freaking out!” sign.
With the help of several good friends I got through it – mainly by recognizing pressure points that had triggered a primal “fight or flight” instinct - which may have served Neanderthal man, but isn’t necessarily a good thing in the boardroom. I certainly didn’t enjoy this experience, but it taught me to simplify my life and focus on the positive – and not worry about those things that are out of my control.
Which is one of my issues with “The Secret”, because, … .well.….so much of life is out of our control. Telling a person from Darfur to “think positive, not negative thoughts” is not the answer. Nor does having material wealth help lead one along their personal road to Nirvana.
So before you go out and buy “The Secret” book, video and action figures – I’d like to leave you with one of my Granny’s wise sayings.
“If we are lucky, life gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want"
For those of you who have been living in the wilderness and haven’t been able to read the newspaper, watch TV or hang out at the water cooler – “The Secret” is the newest self-help craze sweeping the nation. Basically, it’s a new take on an old idea. The power of positive thinking. The idea that just by projecting positive thoughts you can control your destiny – even to the point of affecting circumstances that you may have thought were beyond your control.
The secret goes beyond the simple quest for health and happiness, why stop there?
Think positive thoughts and before you know it your life resembles a hip hop video – you suddenly find yourself living in a phat crib, driving a blinged out car, with two pugs who have Snoop on speed-dial.
My friend Carla knows someone who has become something of a “Secret Groupie” – she said spending a weekend with this person was quite disconcerting. The “SG” would pick the most inopportune moments to shout out various affirmations. For example, if they drove by a beautiful mansion the SG would scream “Yes, it will be mine someday! I will live there with my handsome husband the Doctor, and our 2.5 kids!”
Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in the power of positive thinking. Several years ago I went through a time when I was suffering from great anxiety. The irony is most of the people in my life had no idea that anything was even wrong, it’s not like I was holding up an “I am freaking out!” sign.
With the help of several good friends I got through it – mainly by recognizing pressure points that had triggered a primal “fight or flight” instinct - which may have served Neanderthal man, but isn’t necessarily a good thing in the boardroom. I certainly didn’t enjoy this experience, but it taught me to simplify my life and focus on the positive – and not worry about those things that are out of my control.
Which is one of my issues with “The Secret”, because, … .well.….so much of life is out of our control. Telling a person from Darfur to “think positive, not negative thoughts” is not the answer. Nor does having material wealth help lead one along their personal road to Nirvana.
So before you go out and buy “The Secret” book, video and action figures – I’d like to leave you with one of my Granny’s wise sayings.
“If we are lucky, life gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want"
1 comment:
Honey, I positively believe you couldn't be a hard ass if you tried! You already live your life with a positive attitude, you don't need what The Secret promotes.
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