Choose the right thoughts 

Marcus Aurelius said, “Our life is what our thoughts make it.” Unfortunately, you can’t stop thinking wrong thoughts just by trying harder. But you can do this: you can “set your mind.” The most basic control you have when it comes to your mind is your ability to choose what you pay attention to. At any given moment, it’s within your capacity to turn your thoughts in one direction or another. That helps explain why two people in the exact same set of circumstances can have completely different perspectives and experiences. The following excerpts from a dog’s diary and a cat’s diary may make you smile. But hopefully they will also make you stop and think about the difference your attitude can make. Dog’s diary: “8:00 a.m. Ate dog food. My favourite thing! 9:00 a.m. Went for a car ride. My favourite thing! 9:40 a.m. Walked in the park. My favourite thing! 10:30 a.m. Got rubbed and petted. My favourite thing! 12:00 p.m. Ate lunch. My favourite thing! 1:00 p.m. Played in the grass. My favourite thing! 3:00 p.m. Wagged my tail. My favourite thing! 5:00 p.m. Ate a treat. My favourite thing! 7:00 p.m. Played ball. My favourite thing! 8:00 p.m. Watched TV with my people. My favourite thing! 11:00 p.m. Slept on the bed. My favourite thing!” Now let’s look at the cat. Cat’s diary: “Day 983 of my imprisonment. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre dangling objects. The one thing that helps me carry on is my dream of escape.” Two critters…similar situations…totally different experiences. What made the difference? One chose the right thoughts and the other didn’t.