Kralik, John. 365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Gratitude Changed My Life. New York: Hyperion, 2010.
365 Thank Yous is, thankfully, not a collection of daily thank you notes. Author and jurist John Kralik set out to write 365 thanks in a year and tells the story of how it changed his life in this book.
Kralik's life was not what he wanted it to be. He had two divorces and another shaky relationship, was alienated from his children, disillusioned with his law career, a failing in his business. Everywhere he looked, he saw mounting problems. He was not grateful—he didn’t know how to spell the word—and he was no reason to be grateful.
A conversation with a friend and a remembrance of his grandfather inspired him to make a New Year’s resolution to write a daily thank you note for a year. It changed both his perspective and the conditions of his life.
I think the change of perspective may be most important. We all have problems and most of us find them to be obvious and easy to remember; we’re surrounded by reminders of our problems. It can be overwhelming. We also have things for which to be grateful, but we sometimes have to strain to think of them.
Kralik’s exercise forced him to look for things to be thankful about. In time, in spite of setback, it became easier for him to find and express gratitude.
I think this change in perspective lead to the changes in his life. He was able to see things to which he was previously blind. The vision of these new opportunities opened the door for new actions. Change in his behavior had new results in his family, business and career.
In fact, in the space of a little more than a year, Kralik went from having his dreams slip away to having almost all that he wanted. He had better relationships with his family, his business was recovering, and he received his dream appointment as a judge.
His life wasn’t perfect. He still had problems. His relationship with his girlfriend was improving, but not all he hoped it could be.
Kralik attributes his turnaround to the practice of finding what he is grateful for and expressing his thanks, especially in writing. I think this is right; his change in circumstances seems to be a result of the change in his viewpoint and behavior related to his practice of gratitude.
Gratitude opens our eyes to the good and valuable people, situations and things in our lives, even if we have to strain to see them. The more we look for them, the easier they become to find. As we get a new view on our lives, especially a more positive light, we can see pathways that aren’t clear when we’re focused on our problems.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry
Gratitude by Melody Beattie
Thanks! by Robert A. Emmons
Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Stephen Post and Jill Neimark
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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query viewpoint. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2016
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
We are all writers. Language and writing come
naturally to us. We learn the notion that we are bad writers somewhere along
the way, most likely in school.
We are trained to be self-conscious and anxious about writing; we need to break
that training and start having fun.
This viewpoint is the starting point for Julia Cameron’s
advice to writers in The Right to Write.
She envisions millions of people writing. They’ll write naturally and
organically for the joy of writing.
That is the other major theme that runs through the book: write for the
sake of writing. Writing has a lot of benefits even if you only write for your
own eyes. It is a way for us to express ourselves and examine our lives.
Cameron has a lot of advice for writers but it is generally not
prescriptive. Each writer has his own way. Cameron’s advice is aimed at helping
him discover it. That does not mean her advice is impractical. She has some
hardnosed comments about what it takes to overcome the blocks would-be writers
create (or accept) to their own development.
As Cameron describes it, the writing life is not about being a writer.
It is more about becoming the person and writer you can be. It is a process of learning
and discovery. She tells several stories of writers who, for various reasons,
stop learning and stop being open. The result is that they stop writing or find
it difficult. Always be learning is good advice for anyone who wants to improve
at something, whatever it may be.
Writing should be integrated into life. Your life, interests,
experiences, relationships,
emotions, and all the things you take in through the senses are fuel for
writing. The more you live, the more you’ll have to write about and the more you’ll
want to write.
The book contains many exercises to help a budding writer develop. One
of the main things is simply to write every day. She describes daily writing
that is intended to get one used to writing without the inner censor putting on
the breaks. You also get used to writing even when not in the mood, though once
you start writing your mood is likely to come around.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide for writing a popular genre
novel, this isn’t it. If you want some practical advice and encouragement from
a professional writer who thinks you can write something worthwhile, and enjoy
it, then The Right to Write is a good
choice.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Cameron, Julia. The Right to
Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1998.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
God Wants You to Be Rich by Paul Zane Pilzer
Pilzer, Paul Zane. God Wants You to Be Rich. New York: Touchstone Faith, 1995.
Pilzer believes we can all have an abundance of what we need to live well. His belief is based on two concepts, one theological and the other technological.
The theological concept is that God is good. God is a generous creator who supplied all the materials we need and a wise parent who leads us to learn to use these resources.
The technological concept is that our inventiveness has and will continue to make more and better things available to us to meet our needs for less cost. We are able to use more of the resources we have and more efficiently use those resources that have long been available to us.
Based on these concepts, Pilzer imagines and economic theory based on abundance instead of scarcity. He calls this theory economic alchemy and lays out the principles and laws that define his viewpoint.
The principles of economic alchemy rest transformational quality of technology. Technology defines supply because it determines the resources available to us. Advancement in technology depends on our ability to process information, which has greatly increased in recent decades. Economic growth is possible in those areas where better technology is available, but not widely used.
While Pilzer deals largely with supply, and how the supply of almost everything we need is expanded greatly and rapidly by technology, he also deals with demand. Human demand of goods and services is similarly unlimited. Unlimited demand is not a bad thing because we don’t just want more and more of what we have. We want better. Much of what we want now didn’t exist 50 years ago, and new technology will similarly change the demands of future decades.
Pilzer doesn’t throw out the old theories. He sees himself as harkening back to theories as old as the Bible and updating more recent theories with something economist couldn’t have foreseen a century ago, the rapid development of new technologies.
This isn’t just an abstract book of theoretical and alchemical obscurities. Pilzer presents the economic trends of the last century in terms of how they are explained by economic alchemy and how they are generally better for societal wealth than politicians and the media may have represented them.
Pilzer believes we can all have an abundance of what we need to live well. His belief is based on two concepts, one theological and the other technological.
The theological concept is that God is good. God is a generous creator who supplied all the materials we need and a wise parent who leads us to learn to use these resources.
The technological concept is that our inventiveness has and will continue to make more and better things available to us to meet our needs for less cost. We are able to use more of the resources we have and more efficiently use those resources that have long been available to us.
Based on these concepts, Pilzer imagines and economic theory based on abundance instead of scarcity. He calls this theory economic alchemy and lays out the principles and laws that define his viewpoint.
The principles of economic alchemy rest transformational quality of technology. Technology defines supply because it determines the resources available to us. Advancement in technology depends on our ability to process information, which has greatly increased in recent decades. Economic growth is possible in those areas where better technology is available, but not widely used.
While Pilzer deals largely with supply, and how the supply of almost everything we need is expanded greatly and rapidly by technology, he also deals with demand. Human demand of goods and services is similarly unlimited. Unlimited demand is not a bad thing because we don’t just want more and more of what we have. We want better. Much of what we want now didn’t exist 50 years ago, and new technology will similarly change the demands of future decades.
Pilzer doesn’t throw out the old theories. He sees himself as harkening back to theories as old as the Bible and updating more recent theories with something economist couldn’t have foreseen a century ago, the rapid development of new technologies.
This isn’t just an abstract book of theoretical and alchemical obscurities. Pilzer presents the economic trends of the last century in terms of how they are explained by economic alchemy and how they are generally better for societal wealth than politicians and the media may have represented them.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Mark
Mark the shortest of the four gospels. The
book is attributed to the Mark who became a
point of contention between the apostle Paul and Barnabas as
described in Acts
(Mark and Paul were later reconciled, as indicated by Paul’s comments in 2 Timothy).
It is widely thought that this gospel was written under the imprimatur of Peter, and
reflects his style and viewpoint.
The first nine or ten chapters are a summary of the teachings, miracles,
and events in the life of Jesus. It seems to
me that Mark is much more loosely organized than the other gospel writers. Some
of the major events are presented in what is probably a loose chronological
order, though chronology does not seem to be the organizing theme.
It seems to me that a section on events will be followed by a section
of Jesus’s miracles that is followed by a section on His teachings. Perhaps
this is how Peter organized his own recollections or presented a series of
sermons. Scenes or teachings in Mark tend to be short and to-the-point. Perhaps the strength of the book of Mark is
that it can be taken in bite-sized chunks. Because of the overall brevity of
the book, it is also easy to take in the scope of Jesus’ earthly ministry in a
few settings.
Where the first several chapters are a breathless run through the
public ministry of Jesus, the last few chapters are a more leisurely stroll
through the days leading to and through His crucifixion and resurrection. These
events had a profound effect on Peter. Though still broken up by sections on
Jesus’ teaching (probably during the period of the last chapters), this section
seems to be a fairly chronological depiction of events.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Saturday, April 24, 2021
Cure by Jo Marchant
Over my lifetime, I’ve observed an increasing interest in the connection between mind and body. It is not a new concept, but it has gained ground and the Cartesian distinction between mind and body has eroded. However, how we are still learning how it works and the extent to which it is effective in the treatment of disease. Geneticist and science writer Jo Marchant explores these issues in Cure.
Marchant considers three areas in which there appears to be mind-body connections that have promise for use in medical settings. First is the placebo effect. Next, she looks at meditation, biofeedback and hypnosis. Finally, she discusses the effects of our viewpoint, especially how increase or reduce stress.
We are equipped with an internal pharmacy that can reduce or aggravate pain, and it can be triggered by something as vague as our expectations. This placebo affect can be as powerful as drugs at reducing pain and some other symptoms of disease, which can make it difficult to test the effectiveness of drugs. Some physicians are starting to change their minds about the placebo effect. Instead of seeing it as a problem that gets in the way of testing drugs, they are seeing it a potential substitute for drugs. The placebo effect has limitations; it can reduce pain and symptoms, but it does not cure the underlying disease or injury. There is also a nocebo effect, which causes pain and fatigue.
Another interesting effect discussed by Marchant is conditioning of the immune system. In some cases, we can prompt the immune system to have a conditioned response; we can train it. After taking a drug, the immune system can reproduce the response to the drug at lower doses. We can strengthen the conditioning by accompanying the drug with strong rituals; repeating the rituals can produce the response to some degree. This holds some promise for improving the effectiveness of drugs and reducing the dose needed to be effective, especially when a drug as serious side effects. I thought this was fascinating.
Our brain is more connected, and in control, of our bodily functions that we previously realized. Meditation, hypnosis and biofeedback can allow people to exercise control over operations of the body that were previously thought to be automatic or even independent of the brain. This includes pain, blood flow, stress response, heart rate variability and vagal tone.
Relationships also have a profound effect on our health. Strong social connections keep us young, and lack of relationships is harmful to our health. Our own compassion for others can reduce stress hormones and inflammation. When physicians, surgeons, nurses and other health care professionals care for their patients as people, those patients receiving the emotional support experience less pain and longer lives.
Marchant shows there is potential for a new way of doing medicine, or room to reintroduce older practices. By slowing down and showing genuine concern for patients, doctors can multiply the effect of their treatment. Teaching people to slow down and pay attention to their bodies, the people they love and the good things in their lives, we can take advantage of the healing capacities of the mind and body. Medicine can be less about dispensing drugs and more about lifestyle and relationship.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The
Beethoven Factor by Paul Pearsall
Change
Your Brain Change Your Body
by Daniel G. Amen
Descarte’s
Secret Notebook by Amir D.
Aczel
The Genius
in All of Us by David Shenk
I
Can Make You Happy by Paul
McKenna
I
Can Make You Thin by Paul
McKenna
Instant
Self-Hypnosis by Forbes
Robbins Blair
The
Last Self-Help Book You'll Ever Need by Paul Pearsall
The
Relaxation Response by
Herbert Benson with Miriam Z. Klipper
The
Road Less Traveled by M.
Scott Peck
The
Solution by Lucinda Bassett
Switch
on Your Brain by Caroline Leaf
Take
the Leap by Heather
McCloskey Beck
Timeless
Healing by Herbert Benson
with Marg Stark
Writing
Down the Bones by Natalie
Goldberg
Marchant, Jo. Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind over Body. New York: Crown, 2016.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Secret of the Ages by Robert Collier
Collier, Robert. The Secret of the Ages. 2nd ed. 1948. New York: Tarcher, 2007.
The secret of the ages, according to Collier, is that Mind is all and all is Mind. It is through our thoughts, for good or bad, impressed upon the stuff of the universe that brings what we have into our lives.
Collier teaches there is a Universal Mind. The universe itself and everything in it, including us, are part of and expressions of this Universal Mind. This mind conceives only good and perfection, so all we need for successful living is available to us.
We relate to the Universal mind through our minds. We have the conscious mind of our thoughts. We have the superconscious mind, part of the Universal Mind. We have the subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind is the workhorse of the system. It operates our body and accomplishes our desires effortlessly through its own intuitive genius and by drawing on the infinite knowledge and wisdom of the superconscious mind.
Though the subconscious mind is the master of achievement, it is the slave of the conscious mind. Whatever result we hold in the conscious mind the subconscious achieves through its ability to solve problems, control our bodies and impress our desires on the universe.
Therefore, the secret of the ages is the control of our conscious thoughts and faith in the subconscious and superconscious minds to accomplish our good and perfect desires.
Collier quotes and alludes to the Bible frequently, but very narrowly. I think it is fair to say that his philosophy and view of God are not Biblical. He equates God with the Universal Mind. It is an impersonal force, a mirror that reflects back to us in the material world the images we hold in our minds. I think one can reason from the Bible and experience the plentiful providence of a benevolent God. However, the God of the Bible has a personality and His own purposes and plans.
Though the book is over 80 years old (its first edition was published in 1925 under the original title of The Book of Life), it lessons are indistinguishable from the teachings of many modern self-help gurus. You’ll find the same viewpoint in the 2006 film and book The Secret (produced by Rhonda Byrne and popularized by Oprah Winfrey).
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Acres of Diamonds by Russel H. Conwell
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield with Janet Switzer
Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klaus
The secret of the ages, according to Collier, is that Mind is all and all is Mind. It is through our thoughts, for good or bad, impressed upon the stuff of the universe that brings what we have into our lives.
Collier teaches there is a Universal Mind. The universe itself and everything in it, including us, are part of and expressions of this Universal Mind. This mind conceives only good and perfection, so all we need for successful living is available to us.
We relate to the Universal mind through our minds. We have the conscious mind of our thoughts. We have the superconscious mind, part of the Universal Mind. We have the subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind is the workhorse of the system. It operates our body and accomplishes our desires effortlessly through its own intuitive genius and by drawing on the infinite knowledge and wisdom of the superconscious mind.
Though the subconscious mind is the master of achievement, it is the slave of the conscious mind. Whatever result we hold in the conscious mind the subconscious achieves through its ability to solve problems, control our bodies and impress our desires on the universe.
Therefore, the secret of the ages is the control of our conscious thoughts and faith in the subconscious and superconscious minds to accomplish our good and perfect desires.
Collier quotes and alludes to the Bible frequently, but very narrowly. I think it is fair to say that his philosophy and view of God are not Biblical. He equates God with the Universal Mind. It is an impersonal force, a mirror that reflects back to us in the material world the images we hold in our minds. I think one can reason from the Bible and experience the plentiful providence of a benevolent God. However, the God of the Bible has a personality and His own purposes and plans.
Though the book is over 80 years old (its first edition was published in 1925 under the original title of The Book of Life), it lessons are indistinguishable from the teachings of many modern self-help gurus. You’ll find the same viewpoint in the 2006 film and book The Secret (produced by Rhonda Byrne and popularized by Oprah Winfrey).
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Acres of Diamonds by Russel H. Conwell
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield with Janet Switzer
Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klaus
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