Positive Thinking for Kids

Take Responsibility for Your Actions

2010-06-19T22:29:00Z

So, your kid is giving you problems. She won’t talk to you. She’s defiant. She’s disrespectful. She’s negative all the time. And, you’re certain it has nothing to do with the way you are parenting. Perhaps you believe the problems you are having are due to the kid’s personality, the kid’s friends, society, the media, etc.

Well, guess what? If you want to reduce the problems you’re having with your child, you need to take responsibility for your part in the drama! Relationships are a two-way street. Everything cannot be everyone else’s fault!

Thoughtfully ponder these questions:

•When is the last time you admitted to your child that you were wrong about something?
•When is the last time you apologized?
•When is the last time you actually LISTENED – without judgment – to your child’s point of view?

Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents used certain clichés or “logical comments” against you and you SWORE you would NEVER throw them at your kids? Comments and clichés such as:

•Do as I say, not as I do.
•Because I am the parent and I said so!
•If you want to live in my house you will live by my rules!
•Children are meant to be seen and not heard.
•Eat everything on your plate whether you’re hungry or not. There are starving
children in Africa.
•Don’t argue with me! I’m the parent, and I know best.
•When you turn 18, then you’ll be smart enough to make your own decisions.
Until then, do as I say without question because I know what is best for you.

We were taught to respect authority without question. Just do as we were told. Adults always knew best. And, many of us have now tried to raise our children the same way, using the same clichés (or attitudes). And, it isn’t working very well!

Every generation has thought the younger generation was disrespectful and wild – doomed to fail. Why would you think anything would change when you had kids? Because you weren’t going to repeat your parents’ mistakes, right? But, the reality is when we become parents we parent our children the way we were parented. That’s what we know. And, each generation continues to have problems with relating to and understanding their kids. Some of that is just the natural course of life stuff. But, a lot of it is unnecessary strife!

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. You need to break out of that insanity spiral! If you want to improve your relationship with your child, YOU have to change YOUR attitude. You have to set the example. You have to change your parenting style. You have to take responsibility for YOUR actions. Isn’t that what you expect of your child?

The late actor Broderick Crawford once said, “Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them.”

It is time to set the example starting today. Reflect upon your past actions. If apologies are necessary, APOLOGIZE! Next time you’re ready to use one of those awful clichés, stop and think about how you felt when your parents said the same thing to you. Set aside the old-fashioned attitude that children are mindless and they need to be bossed around. That belief isn’t beneficial to the child. How will she learn to make decisions if you make all of them for her? It isn’t representative of the Golden Rule either. And, it is not conducive to creating a positive relationship with your child. Positive relationships are best cultivated with mutual love and respect. Today’s a new day! Let your new attitude shine through and just watch how your relationships improve!

Stop judging!

2010-06-18T16:01:00Z

I have some questions I would like for you to consider. Truly reflect upon each one before you move on to the next one. These situations can happen in your personal lives and in your business lives. Think about how you would respond to someone who treats you as described below.

How do you feel when you are trying to talk and someone interrupts you?

How do you feel when you know you're telling the truth and no one will listen to your side of the story?

How do you feel when someone disrespects you because of your gender, race, religion, age, lifestyle, weight, etc.?

How do you feel when you're "profiled" or judged because of your gender, race, religion, hairstyle, weight, age, lifestyle, tattoos, etc.?

How do you feel when you're judged (and potentially "punished") based on hearsay or rumors?

How do you feel when people judge you because of the friends you have chosen?

How do you feel when someone is yelling at you or criticizing you, and even worse, in front of other people?

I would bet my last dollar that the answer to every question was HORRIBLE. You hate it, don't you?! How dare people judge you! How dare they treat you like that!

Just because you don't drive the most expensive car or have a "professional" career doesn't mean you aren't worthy of respect.

Just because you got a tattoo of an eagle on your chest when you were 18 does not mean you are a bad person!

Just because you hang out with a guy who has long hair and a pierced tongue doesn't mean either of you is not responsible. Your friend happens to be highly intelligent and successful! He just doesn't conform to society's version of "normal".
.
.
.
.
Welcome to your child's world!

I want you to re-read those questions and ask yourself if you do any of those things to your children.

Don't make excuses for your actions. If you do not appreciate being treated horribly, what makes you think your children are going to positively respond to the same treatment?

It isn't logical. So, stop judging your children. Stop judging, period.

That's step number one towards developing a more positive relationship with your kids - and everyone else.
________________________________________________________________________

For more information about positive thinking and the power of your mind, please visit Positive Thinking For Kids.

Who are YOU scaring?

2010-01-26T19:33:00Z

The world is a looking glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. - William Thackeray

Many years ago, when I was angry with my kids, I passed a mirror and happened to look in it and was HORRIFIED! Or, should I say TERRIFIED?! I have never forgotten that moment. My poor children! Such a scary mother! I've learned that I am not very cognizant of the "looks" on my face. Those are hard to control! But, not impossible. It starts with the thoughts in our heads.

I think it would be interesting if we could carry a mirror with us all day to look at our reflection when we're feeling different feelings. I bet we'd consciously change those thoughts to positive ones pretty quickly if we could see the result of those thoughts on our faces!

When you pass by someone who is not smiling, are you inclined to smile and say "hello"? Probably not, unless it is in your nature to say "hello" to everyone you pass regardless of your perception of their mood.

So, turn that around. Do you think if you walk around scowling that most people will want to speak to you? If you appear unapproachable, you will be treated as unapproachable. And, then you will feel badly because no one is talking to you. And so you will continue to have that scowl on your face until you take control and think positive thoughts!

Only YOU can change it! The look on your face is DIRECTLY TIED to the thought in your head. See how that works? It merely proves that we attract the energy we put out to the world. If we walk around scowling because we're thinking unhappy thoughts, we're rarely going to attract happy, positive people. We will usually attract other scowlers who want to commiserate with us and complain about their bosses, wives, children, traffic, etc. So, you'll not only be concentrating on your problems but theirs, as well.

So, if you can't carry a mirror with you at all times today, at least start to THINK about the look that might be on your face. And, study the faces of those around you and consider your attitude towards them at that moment. Hopefully, you will realize that what we think and feel on the inside is reflected on the outside and those smiles or frowns directly affect the circumstances of our day. The power of your mind is within your control! Use it!

And, remember to SMILE! We are what we think about!

Positive Energy Leads to Positive Circumstances

2010-01-24T22:26:00Z

Like energy attracts like energy. This is according to the law of attraction, a law as proven as gravity. All humans, living things and even nonliving things are mostly made up of energy. Between the nucleus and the orbiting electron of each atom is what appears to be empty space but is actually energy. And you, who are also made up of atoms, are mostly energy.

So, following the law of attraction, your energy attracts like energy. Thoughts are energy. Feelings are energy. So whatever your thoughts and feelings are, they attract energy of the same frequency. If you are feeling sad, angry and pessimistic most of the time, what do you think will you attract? On the other hand, if you are feeling happy and optimistic with something to look forward to everyday, what do you think will you attract?

Positive energy leads to positive circumstances in your life which gradually results in an overall fabulous, happy life. So, always stay focused on the positive! See the good in every situation – even in what appear to be bad ones – and, eventually something good will come out of it.

Don’t dwell on the negative. Focus on the positive, and that is what you will attract into your life. I guarantee it! It does take practice, but with time you will find that the negative thoughts become less and less and the ones that do pop up you will quickly brush away.

So if you keep up that positive energy, you will attract positive circumstances and the things you want will always be within your reach.

Smile! We are what we think about!

For more information about positive thinking and the power of your mind, please visit Positive Thinking For Kids.

Keep that Positive Energy!

2010-01-24T22:18:00Z

In this universe, like energy attracts like energy. So positive energy attracts positive people, events and circumstances.

So what do you do if you are not feeling so positive? When you feel sad, angry, annoyed, or simply drained? You certainly do not want to stay that way if you want to attract positive things to your life.

Do these to turn that negative energy into positive:

Acknowledge your negative feeling. Yes, acknowledge that you are feeling it. Do not deny or suppress it – simply allow yourself to feel it. By acknowledging it, it will be easier for you to release that feeling. However, do not dwell or wallow in that feeling. Simply recognize it.

Find something to be grateful for. No matter how bad your day went, there must be something that happened that you are thankful for, no matter how small. It might be running into a friend, getting a good lunch, or something else.

Think about someone or something you love. Think about a loved one smiling at you. Think about a happy moment you spent together.

Read a joke or listen to lively music. This is especially effective if you are feeling simply tired or annoyed. A good joke or happy music can quickly shift your energy to positive.

Meditate. Take a break. Close your eyes, sit in a relaxed position, and breathe deeply. Imagine a beam of light shining through the center of your body. Feel that light spreading through and warming your body. You can do variations to this meditation, or do whatever relaxing meditation you are comfortable with.

Talk to positive people. Their positive energy can give you a quick pick-me-up. Positive energy is usually stronger than negative energy so their positive energy will most likely “infect” you!

Follow these tips and feel that positive energy flowing through you! Smile! We are what we think about!

For more information about positive thinking and the power of your mind, please visit Positive Thinking For Kids.

Common Traits of Happy Families

2010-01-24T22:07:00Z

A happy family is probably one of life’s most priceless treasures. Success won’t be complete without it. All the wealth in world will not guarantee it. There’s no set formula or dynamics in achieving it. These families have problems, but somehow they get thru them intact. Is there some sort of secret chant or cosmic ritual that can promise you a happy family life? There’s none, unfortunately. But, you can look at happy families, and you can see that there are some traits common to all of them. Here are some:

Priorities – Each family member treats their family as their first priority. Not only the parents, albeit they carry the bulk of responsibility, but also the children. The integrity of the family must be solid in the sense that all members should think first and foremost about what will happen to their family in any action they do. Parents work hard and plan for their kids’ future, but take time out to bond with them and take an active part in their lives. Or, they spend quality time just talking about what’s happening in the world. The children also make it a point to keep their parents informed of their school or other activities. They gladly spend quality time with their parents and siblings and value that time more than hanging out with their friends. If anything major happens to them, they’ll always go to their parents first.

Responsibility – Everyone in the family strives to be responsible – from the preschooler picking up his toys to the parents who work to provide the basic necessities. Loyalty to one’s partner is the norm and infidelity is not even in the vocabulary. What’s more, everyone does his/her responsibility not only because of duty, but because of love. It’s a sacrifice, but one given selflessly.

Encouragement – Praises for good work, help in rough times, a listening ear and a good shoulder are common to these families too. No wonder they can get through any challenges they face!

Stability – One of the best ways they achieve stability is to have certain traditions they can count on. It could be a yearly holiday to an old hometown or eating together every Christmas Eve or raking leaves every mid-autumn. Whatever it is, the important thing is to be together. These traditions evolve through the years, and it becomes a routine; it gives a sense of continuity and an ongoing history. These moments of sharing will form a foundation of the family’s views and will surely be passed on to future generations.

Lee Iacocca, an eminent businessman and writer, once said: “The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family.”

So, strive to make your family a happy one! And, remember to smile! We are what we think about!

For more information about positive thinking and the power of your mind, please visit Positive Thinking for Kids.

Stop stressing!

2010-01-19T16:33:00Z

Epictetus wrote, "Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens." What does that mean? We're at the mercy of the world? We have no control over our lives? Absolutely not! You have a whole lot more power over your lives than many of you are aware! The power is within your mind.

This quote is quite similar to the Serenity Prayer. The abbreviated version is:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Pretty straightforward. How much time do you waste worrying and stressing about things over which you truly have NO control like the traffic on the road or the line at the grocery store?

We all do it. Freak out over the traffic that is causing us to be late. Is it the traffic that is really causing you to be late? What if you just left a few minutes earlier every day? THAT is within your control. Then, if you miss the light because of some pokey guy in front of you, it is not a big deal!

Or, how about the line at the grocery store? You get frustrated because all the other lines are moving faster or because the lady at the counter is searching her purse for 3 pennies, or because someone bought something that doesn't have a tag. Don't they know you're in a hurry!!??!!!! You have things to do! The world is going to end in one hour, and you've got to make it home to see Oprah one last time! Seriously though, do you spend way too much time creating stress for yourself over stuff that really just doesn't matter? Why?

Or, how about this scenario. Your family refuses to take off their shoes on the rug in the entry. So instead, they track wet dirt and snow all the way to the closet where they may, or may not, actually put their shoes in the cubbies you bought for that sole purpose. Pun intended. Is it REALLY a big deal if they get dirt all over the floor? Perhaps you should be grateful that you have people at home to make a mess! Now, that is a true example of finding that very obscure silver lining. Find a solution to the dirt problem such as having those mess makers clean up the dirt each day themselves. Problem solved. (I know. This one IS a stretch. But, it isn't worth the health problems you are creating for yourself by stressing out about the dirt.)

Today, every time you find yourself stressed or upset or annoyed, stop to think WHY you're feeling that way and determine if you have any control at all over the situation. Usually, if nothing else, YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR REACTION to the situation.

We can't control what is happening in Haiti. We can't control what the government does with our tax money. We can't control how fast the cook in the restaurant prepares our order. What we CAN do is donate money, write letters to our representatives, and complain to the manager. And, LET IT GO. Don't obsess and read every word about the disaster. Don't continually argue with anyone and everyone about politics. Don't create havoc and embarrass your family and friends with your tirade to the server about the cook's incompetence. It is not worth the stress YOU are creating for yourself and others.

And, if you have children, remember they are watching your every move and listening to every word you say - even the teenagers! Set the example. You DO have more control than you think. And, when you don't, just let it go!

Remember, we are what we think about!

Updated website

2009-07-23T03:59:00Z

Hello Positive People!

Well, I've been working like a crazy woman updating my website, ignoring family, hygiene, and sleep. (I've been blaming the odor on the couch which now has a very prominent imprint of my rear.) Anyway, I'm done with the website...for the night...except for this blog entry.

While researching positive thinking the past week, I've discovered many new ideas. And, some concepts are more clear in my head...which is a scarier than usual place to be right now! I have so many passwords and numbers in my head, I can barely remember my own birth date, let alone what time I am supposed pick up my son from lacrosse. Oops. I'll be right back. Just kidding.

I have also discovered that my task of passing along info about positive thinking for TEENS is a much larger challenge than I originally anticipated. I have been informed by my own teenagers that they are totally not interested in positive thinking or anything that has to do with thinking, for that matter, unless it involves their ipod, computer or cell phone.

So, it would seem that the age group of my 5 kids, approximately 11-18, is apparently lost...doomed to live in negativity, if that is their current state (uh-huh), until they become adults and realize how miserable they've become, and then it will be all my fault, of course. Could this possibly be true???   Have I destined them all to years of psychotherapy... and second jobs so they can afford to pay for it?

I refuse to believe it!!! There has to be something I can do to reach this age group to show them that positive thinking is a MUST. I guess it is too late to put love notes in their lunch boxes. Do kids even CARRY lunch boxes anymore? Let's see......mass hypnosis? Subliminal messages in their alphabet soup? Oh wait. They don't eat soup anymore. Hmmmm....I could put an ad on television. They'd be sure to see THAT! What else....???

(Picture me tapping my foot...twirling my hair...looking up to the right with an empty idea box above my head. Yes, that's it.)

A-n-n-d, I'm stumped. I did get my 2 boys to agree to gather some friends for a focus group. Perhaps actually talking to some hormone-driven, neurotic teenagers will help me figure out how to teach them that controlling their impulses will make their lives a little less crazy. Hey! You can stop laughing at me now.   I must be nuts to think I can help change the world one kid at a time!!!  Right? Donations for MY psychotherapy bills are greatly appreciated.

All joking aside, I KNOW that I'll come up with the solution. It is RIGHT there! See it? I can...it is just a little out of focus yet.

And, FOCUS is the name of the game, people. We need to FOCUS our attention on the POSITIVE thoughts...the BLESSINGS in our lives...our DREAMS...our GOALS.   SUSTAINED FOCUS ON ANY TASK OR THOUGHT OR GOAL IS UNSTOPPABLE! So, make sure YOU are focusing on the POSITIVE.

Remember, we are what we think about!

Chanin

P.S.
Here is a pretty picture for you...this was in Yellowstone last year.

I'm back!

2008-12-28T18:38:00Z

Hello!

It has been a long time since I've written anything. Life has been busy. But, this mission has always been on my mind.

I got a couple of emails in the past two months from people either looking for help and/or who were inspired by the Positive Thinking for Kids website. THAT is new inspiration for me.

My thinking and beliefs have evolved since I created this website, and you will see that reflected in my new writings. I am still not certain where this idea is headed, but I know that I need to actively pursue it. And, I am excited to share my newly found Truth. Funny thing is - this Truth is not new! The Truth has been within me the whole time. I just couldn't see It due to the lies I've been believing my whole life.

All of my kids have birthdays coming up, and they will range in age from 11-17. I am amazed by the number of their friends who seem to be stuck in negativity. It SADDENS me. And, when I see how their negativity affects MY kids, I realize that the effects of negative thinking are even more devastating than we might realize. It reminds me of that commercial for an anti-depressant. The person says, "Depression hurts everyone." And, that reminds me of a recent situation.

Briefly, my son was involved with a girl who has a lot of baggage and emotional issues. She put him through the WRINGER for months. And, despite my pleas with him to cut ties with her, he was addicted to her and could not see what was happening. Recently, he was at the point where he wanted to take an anti-depressant. His grades had dropped, he'd been snapping at friends, and he felt generally awful inside. He had allowed the girl to drive him to that point! Thankfully, the lies and therefore, the truth, was revealed and that veil of "depression" was lifted from my son. He's still friends with this girl, and I am proud of him for being so forgiving in nature. But, as a mom, I DO worry that he will get sucked in again.

So, the power of negative thinking is horrifying, but not permanent! I have realized how my past mindset has impacted my own kids and while it is sad, I cannot dwell on it since I cannot change the past. I can merely set a NEW example in the here and now. And then hope that my kids recognize it. I am now 39+ , and I want my future to be so much happier and more peaceful than my past. I do believe I have the understanding to allow that to happen. It is my choice. And, I want my kids (and all humankind) to learn those tools /truths NOW because what happens in THIS MOMENT is all we can affect. Of course, being "conscious" in this moment will affect the future, but we cannot control what others do, so the future still remains uncertain.

There is a saying that you should live each day as if it were your last. I would change that to you should live each MOMENT as if it were your last. Each moment affects the next moment. So, we really need to live in the NOW. We can't change the past. We can't control the future. But, we can control how we react to and what we think about the NOW and those thoughts and actions will affect the future.

I know this was a bit disjointed but I have a lot to share! In a nutshell, I have learned that we cannot control our thoughts. What!? Thoughts are compulsive and never-ending. What we CAN control is what THOUGHTS we pay attention to and how we react to and act upon them. So, my concept of Positive Thinking has changed slightly. But, the end result is the same. Peace. Joy. Love.

If I could get just one person to escape the grips of negativity and experience life as God intended, I would be forever grateful.

May YOU be that person.

Blessings,

Chanin

Setting an Example

2007-10-04T12:10:00Z

It just occurred to me that while my end goal is to teach kids the power of the mind and the benefits of positive thinking, I should definitely start teaching adults so that they can understand how important it is to fight negativity in their own lives and focus on being optimists. Most children learn best through the examples of behavior of the adults in their lives. This is a lesson I struggle with regularly with my own kids. It is tough to change the bad HABIT of being a negative Nelly, worry wart, fearful Freddie, etc. I heard that the number one cause of failure in our lives is WORRY AND FEAR. Ponder that for awhile. Negativity, fear, worry...these are all BAD HABITS that we must change if we want to see any improvement in our lives. Another great quote - "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." Isn't that awesome?! Ponder that one too.

For the next week, try an experiment I tried earlier in the summer. Concentrate on looking for something in your environment like butterflies or red cars or women wearing blue shirts...whatever it is that you can think of. If you set the intention each morning to look for this particular thing, you will be AMAZED at how often you will starting seeing it. This experiment will PROVE that we "create" what we pay attention to. Consider this idea and how it plays out in your relationships with your significant other, co-workers, and children.

Have a fun day!

Race Update

2007-10-04T11:49:00Z

I checked the race results and Thomas actually finished in 20:33! Not only that, he finished 4th for the school's C-Team, 89th out of 281, and 44th out of the 98 kids' times that contributed towards the team's score at the meet.

Psyching yourself out

2007-10-03T11:30:00Z

Here is my POSITIVE THINKING story for today about my KID.

My son, Thomas, is 15 years old. In May, he ran the Green Bay 5K in 21:59 which was quite remarkable considering he hadn't trained. He was around the 12th fastest in his age group. I don't remember exactly, but that is close. Anyway, during the summer he sporadically trained with the goal of joining the high school cross country team.

And, he did join which is another remarkable feat, (no pun intended), but you'd have to know Thomas to understand why. The first 2 mile time trial they ran he finished in 12:43 which is an average of about a 6:21 mile. He was totally psyched!!!! That would be around a 19:20 5k. But, his first race he ran in 22:02 or so which was closer to a 7:10 mile pace. He was also bummed because he'd finished slower than the 5K 4 months previous, and he had been training for this race for weeks! Throughout the season, his times have been around the 22 minute mark. The meet last weekend he finished in 22:43. He was REALLY bummed about that one. But, he had psyched himself out.

The thing is - Thomas' battle isn't against the other kids - his battle is within his own mind. He had psyched himself out with negative thinking - despite my fervent attempts to combat it with positive reinforcement. He doesn't have spikes yet and is convinced (partly by his coaches) that he will only run faster if he wears spikes. Interestingly, Thomas always finishes STRONG and blows past lots of other boys at the end. His coach told him he MUST run track next spring because he has such great speed, and this was a huge self-esteem booster. So, I made a really big deal about it to him.

Yesterday, in rainy and muddy conditions, Thomas ran another race. Not with varsity or junior varsity but with the "C" team...the slowest kids...and I figured this would hurt his self-esteem a little more. I left work early to watch - even though I REALLY did not want to stand in the pouring rain. But, at least I wasn't RUNNING in the rain! See - positive thinking at work. So, the rain had subsided for his race. Yeah! The boys ran the first lap and Thomas was in the front pack of 20 boys!!!!!! WOW!!! They came around again, and he was still in that front pack!!! He usually finishes in the bottom 1/3 when it is JV and C-team combined.

The third time around he had fallen behind. Oh no!!! But, he was still ahead of his regular pace. I should have told him that, but didn't think of it soon enough. So, they're running around the corner towards the finish line...my daughter and I are waiting and waiting. Then, I spot him!!! Sprinting towards the finish although not quite as hard as usual. I'm yelling to him, of course...and he finishes in 20:36!!!!!! TWO MINUTES FASTER than the last race and about 1:17 faster than his best time...and without spikes.

He wasn't sure yet what he had done differently. He ran the first mile in 6:00 minutes which is his fastest split thus far. He said he didn't feel any worse than usual and actually recovered his breathing quicker. And, he admitted he didn't sprint as fast as he could have at the end!

On the way home, I told him he had beaten the Green Bay time by almost 1 1/2 minutes. He was confused. He said he thought he'd been running at least a minute slower than the Green Bay race this whole season. He thought he'd finished it in 20:59. So, every time he finished a race in around 22:00 he felt REALLY horrible. With each race, he had mentally psyched himself out a little more based upon faulty negative thinking.

What was the difference in this race? Don't know yet. Maybe it was because he was racing with the C team and didn't care as much because he had given up on the season. The stress and pressure was gone. Thomas has exhibited such WILL POWER at each race with his ability to sprint at the end even though he'd been ready to quit 1 1/2 miles earlier. Every race I raved about him and told him how awesome he was and how impressive it was he could manage to find the WIND and LEGS to do that.

What it really came down to at the end of all those races was he was able to use the POWER OF HIS MIND to tell his legs GO! He didn't know it, but he was using POSITIVE THINKING! He ignored the negative circumstances of his sides aching and his legs cramping and his desire to puke and collapse on the ground. He had the WILL to finish as fast as he could. It was a THRILL for him to fly past 2 dozen other boys at the end.

Now that he has beaten his fastest time by 1:17 I am SO POSITIVELY psyched to watch him race next week! Now he KNOWS he can compete with the junior varsity times. I am waiting with such extreme anticipation to see the results of his Positive Thinking next week!

Stay tuned!

Yippee! We're on Google

2007-09-29T16:08:00Z

I've been disappointed the past couple of weeks because I couldn't even get Google to recognize my website ADDRESS, let alone reveal it in the results.

Well, today we're recognized by Google! And, when I did a search for "positive thinking for kids" we were on the first page at the eighth spot! This is truly fantastic, and I guess a little uncommon to be successful in getting ranked so quickly at the top. See - positive thinking works!

I've submitted us to the other big ones like Yahoo and MSN, but no "luck" yet. But, I've done a lot of optimization like adding more keywords revolving around the words "positive thinking." And, I updated the Home Page a little too. I also learned about keyword stuffing today, so I have to be careful not to randomly throw in words like "positive thinking" when they really don't have any relevancy to what I'm writing.

So, I am optimistic about the future of the Positive Thinking for Kids website! I know we'll have success in our effort to educate children and teens about mind power. Until the exact method is revealed to me, I'll just continue with my own self-improvement path which continually reveals to me how far I am from my destination. I'll get there. I have faith and belief in myself, and I know that if I continue to pay attention to my thoughts and try to control/eliminate the bad ones, positive energy will definitely flow my way!

For today, try to find the positive in what you perceive to be bad situations. Focus on the good! And, remember, we are what we think about!

Why this website is here

2007-09-24T23:24:00Z

So, why did I create this site?

Wow - that answer is a long one so I'll try to keep it brief. In August of 2004, I was a rather dedicated Christian who did not believe in "coincidences". I felt that everything that happened to us happened for a reason. I was experiencing a multitude of coincidences for several months. By the time November or December had rolled around, I was pretty certain I was losing my mind! The "coincidences" were consistently occurring and were so BLATANT. I didn't know whether to feel blessed by God or cursed. Every time I turned to my Bible for guidance, I randomly turned to the EXACT verse I needed at the moment. It was extremely cool, yet kind of scary! I knew that God spoke to me through the written word. And, that made sense because I love to read. He was trying to get my attention and knew how to find me!

This time of my life was the beginning of the path towards the idea that controlling one's thoughts controls one's destiny. In June of 2005, my kids and I were visiting Red Wing, Minnesota. Through a series of "coincidences", I met a man in a wheelchair who happened to write Christian poetry that he felt was inspired by God. The poem he happened to have with him and that he read to me was about guarding one's thoughts. It was an extremely important message for me at that time of my life as I was focused on things that were not particularly beneficial to me. And, the coincidence did not go unnoticed.

In July of 2005, I met my future husband who is such a wonderful man.    Due to conversations with him and books I read, I started to steer away from my Christian faith. I had become extremely narrow-minded in my thoughts and began to recognize it. And, I feel that is how things were supposed to happen so I could get to where I am now. So, the past two years have been immensely painful in many ways. This has been a HUGE growth period for me in my quest for self-improvement! I have read countless books and bought cd courses in an effort to find "something". I wasn't sure what "it" was, but everything pointed in the direction of the Power of the Mind. I stopped going to church entirely and ended up at a crossroad no Christian ever wants to encounter - a complete crisis of faith - did Jesus really exist? This was a very dark time for me which contributed to my depression.

Until recently, I've been unable to tie in my faith with the idea of Positive Thinking or the Law of Attraction which basically says what we focus on is what we get in life.  But, I think I have it all reconciled now. It is a scientific fact that we humans use a single digit percentage of the Power of our Minds.  Just this evening I saw a news story about acupuncture. The bottom line was that even if acupuncture was not done correctly, 44% of the people still felt a reduction in pain because they BELIEVED that they would. They were practicing Positive Thinking, and they didn't even know it!

So, back to the point of this. If you do a Google search for "positive thinking", you get 22,600,000 results. There is just endless info out there. However, the info specifically directed TO KIDS is limited. There are websites out there for parents about how to teach their kids positive thinking, but minimal material catering to young children and teens is available. I can't help but wonder - if I had known about this concept of Positive Thinking 20 years ago, how different would my life be now?

The other night I was reading THINK AND GROW RICH by Napoleon Hill. If you haven't read it, DO! I have known for quite awhile that there was an IDEA in my head regarding the purpose of my life.   And, it would be one that would generate some sort of income for me. As the book instructed, I sat silently and asked for the IDEA again. And, BOOM! There it was! I KNEW what "IT" was. I didn't know exact details, but I had the IDEA. I needed to create something to teach POSITIVE THINKING TO KIDS! And, that is all it takes. An idea.

My GOAL or LIFE PURPOSE is to teach kids at an early age about the power of their thoughts so they don't have to struggle as much as I have. Period.

And, here we are. Not really any closer to the implementation of anything. But, it will happen. I'll just keep up my Positive Thinking and wait. One of my other life lessons in the past few years was Patience. Good things come to those who wait, right?

Tick tock. Tick tock....

I figured it out!

2007-09-21T02:05:00Z

I am so excited that I actually figured out how to get this website set up. Yes, it has a lot of tweaking to do, but for just setting it up last night, I think it looks POSITIVELY great, considering my lack of expertise in this area. Getting this blog page set up will take more thought and time than I have right now. Maybe this weekend I can find time. And, I'll also spend a little bit of time explaining why I started this website and what I hope to accomplish. I know the ultimate goal, but don't know the path yet. Sounds like a description of life itself, huh? I know the plan will unfold with time. I'm POSITIVE about that! Well, my legs are really warm since the laptop has been on top of my lap for HOURS now.

Tonight, before you fall asleep, take 10 minutes to calm your mind, reflect upon the POSITIVE events of the day, and be grateful that you have a bed to sleep in.