Imagine if you knew for certainty that your thoughts were forces. That these forces were strong enough to impact on the external events that came into and shaped your life. How might you better manage your thoughts as a consequence?
Last Saturday morning I woke up miserable. I had had a bad night's sleep and I had missed having my husband at home with me the night before. He had been out with a friend and was sleeping in that morning nursing a hangover (he rarely goes out, and even more rarely drinks, so I could not begrudge him the event!). However it meant I had to get up to our 3 year old, do breakfast, clean the kitchen, take 3 year old to dance class, etc. So I was grumpy, and feeling hardly done by. In addition, I was running over in mind how 'lucky' some of my friends are, and how they didn't really deserve their luck, and why were we not so lucky, etc... It culminated in me driving to my parents-in-law's house (about three quarters of an hours drive away) with my husband having a very serious, deep and meaningful conversation whilst driving.
Just as we were about to arrive, I saw a flashing light behind me of a police car. I pulled over and said to my husband, "I think I have just got a speeding ticket", even though I had no idea what speed I had been travelling at. The policeman walked up to the window and asked me if I knew why I was being pulled over. I said that I guessed I was speeding. He said, no, I had been driving in the right hand lane when the signs say "Keep left unless overtaking". He then issued me with a $45 fine.
My husband was furious at the triviality of the 'crime' and also the fact that I had received a fine not just a warning.
But for me, I knew I had brought it on myself. I had had such bad karma against the world that day - feeling sorry for myself and wishing unwell on others, that I had brought this ill-fate on myself.
That fine was a big wake up call. I truly knew that my negative thoughts had brought it on.
When faced with any situation in life, it is so much more empowering to ask yourself "What can I do differently to get the result that I want?", than to attach blame or wear a victim mentality.
Even if the event or events are outside of your known control, it is worthwhile to 'presuppose' it is in your control. "What can I do to influence this person's behaviour towards me?" rather than "Why is this person behaving so badly towards me?" Or,"What can I do to handle this illness I have now?" vs "Why am I so unlucky to be suffering this illness and others aren't?"
Controlling our thoughts to be ones that are positive and work for us, rather than negative and that let us fall into a victim/blame mindset is the first step in being the cause of your life.
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