We all have the ability to control our thoughts.
We all have the ability to control our actions.
And we all have the ability cede control of our thoughts, either by being inactive in our control of them or by actively subscribing to someone else’s.
Whether you subscribe to someone else’s way of thinking or are simply inactive in your own thinking, someone else will be controlling the way you think.
The influence operation we are surrounded by 24/7 in life (societal norms, social media, traditional media, family, friends coworkers, oh my) will fill that void in an instant.
Something is always steering the ship.
What do we call it when you relinquish your own power to choose your thoughts and actions, which gives give that power over to others?
Well that makes you the definition of a puppet.
Don’t be a puppet.
And, depending upon whom gets the largest share of control over your thoughts and actions, you could become even worse than a puppet.
You could become a weapon.
An unknowing weapon.
An unknowing weapon in the hands of someone or something, seen or unseen, known or unknown, that likely has their own interests in mind.
You’d better hope they’re good.
So I implore you to not cede control of your thoughts and, by extension, your actions.
That is the victim’s mindset.
Yes, there is a victim’s mindset, and you can choose a different one.
The power is yours, so long as you take it.
Victims, however, do not have power.
That’s what makes them victims.
They are tossed to and fro.
Controlled by others. Controlled by circumstances.
That’s what makes being victimized so horrendous.
And is also why victimizing yourself is so horrendous.
The victim’s mindset does not realize the power and control it is ceding to others.
And that power and control is within all of us, to either keep or to give.
It is not neutral. It does not wait.
Someone or someones will always have that power, but it always starts with you.
You make the choice.
So change your thinking, because you have the power.
Then change your actions to match, because you have the power.
A victim no more and a victor forevermore.
If you were built up by this today, remember that you have the power to do that as well.
Some people are strong enough to withstand the influences of others. They are strong enough in themselves to know who they are, and humble enough to recognize where they need to grow, so no one can knock them off course.
Yet many others are not.
That means the words you speak to them matter.
The way you treat them matters.
The way you speak to and treat them will influence them. It will influence how they experience their lives and what they believe about themselves.
It will play a part in influencing whether they live successful, fulfilled lives, with successful, fulfilled relationships. It will also influence how they treat themselves and how they treat others.
You have that power, so be conscious of it and don’t take it lightly.
Simple interactions with people can have a wide-ranging, long-lasting effect that impacts many people, and this is not hyperbole.
You have more power than you realize, almost certainly.
Hopefully, some day, all people will be as strong as the self-assured, humble people described above.
But, even for those people, a compliment goes a long way. Focusing on the good goes a long way.
And so does a smile.
None of us are so strong that we are above those things.
So in the meantime, remember that you have great ability to impact people positively. To build them up and make their lives better in very simple ways.
Or, if you are selfish and neglect the power you have, you can ruin someone’s day.
Or worse.
Ultimately, the way we treat others influences them which in turn can influence the world around us, so perhaps it is in our best interests to make it a point to build people up whenever we have the opportunity.
Even if it is something as simple as a smile, you could change that person’s day for the better. Maybe even their life. (You might be surprised.)
And if you improve the lives of those around you, guess who else gets to enjoy those improvements?
You guessed it.
Number one.
You.
That’s some real power.
Be grateful for it.
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If you like this article, you will love my gratitude journal!
I wrote the introduction to help guide you and provide you with motivation to start your mindset shift and contribute to your growth, then watch your growth compound over time and your life change for the better.
Having something – anything – to serve as a motivational reminder to be grateful can help a great deal. Whether it’s a gratitude journal or something else.
I like a gratitude journal.
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Stay consistent and watch your life change positively.
You have the power to decide what you believe and who you will be.
So believe in the best and believe in you!