Chapter 1: Believe In Yourself: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Is self-doubt one of the main problems in your life? Do you find yourself second-guessing your abilities? Is this feeling of inadequacy standing in your way of enjoying more success socially, financially, or in general? Well, Peale gives us some pointers as to how we can overcome this in Chapter One of his book, “The Power of Positive Thinking!”
Understand, to figure out where feelings of inadequacy and feelings of powerlessness come from, one is going to have to sit down and do some honest assessment of their life. It is helpful if you can understand where these feelings originated. For some folks, this may require the assistance of a therapist. However, there is one short-term solution that Peale offers which may help an individual to clear an immediate hurdle successfully.
Philippians: 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me!”
To get the ball rolling, repeat the above verse as an Affirmation to yourself several times whenever and where ever you can do so safely. Say it with a feeling of conviction. Say it and mean it!
Repeating an affirmation such as this several times after you get into bed to go to sleep will be a big help also. Repeat it three times upon waking and then three more times just before confronting the hurdle you face, with a feeling of conviction. You may not necessarily come out victorious in dealing with whatever it is you were originally feeling anxious about facing but you will certainly have the strength to face it, regardless of the outcome.
Peale points out in this chapter that Prayer is important and that it is illustrated in Matthew: 9:29: of the Bible through the statement, “Your faith be it unto you!” He tells us that this statement means that the bigger and deeper into your self-doubts your prayer goes the more likely it is to be answered!
We also discover in this chapter that negative thinking about ourselves can be corrected by repetitively driving positive ideas and suggestions of confidence into our minds via written statements we can read aloud or commit to memory. A mind full of negative ideas can be taught to think more positively through reading positive material and the action of consciously filling it with positive thoughts. It is written in this part of, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” too, that this can be accomplished while going about your daily business. But, that’s not all!
Peale talks to us through his book about how it is very helpful to list the assets we have during times when it would seem that all is lost. If we can list what we have during our times of seeming defeat it helps us to see the truth. What does Mr. Peale tell us that truth is? It’s quite simple. “All is not lost!”
He also suggests that you can improve your self-confidence by affirming, believing, and visualizing that God is with you, helping you, and guiding you. He tells us that what we affirm, believe in, and visualize in our minds has a greater likelihood of becoming our new reality.
In this part of his book and other places; Peale talks about the benefits of a confident attitude for all of us, too. He talks about how when you have a positive, confident attitude it seems to draw, “Good,” in your direction. Instead of us constantly having to seek what we want, what we want is drawn to us!
In short, what he is suggesting in this chapter is this: Picture yourself as succeeding no matter how bad things seem to be at the moment. Never question the reality of this because if you do it will lead to more failure.
When negative thoughts come to mind cancel them out with positive ones and whatever you do only see obstacles for what they are without building them up in your imagination.
No one is as unique or as good as you so don’t try measuring up to others as they are only as half as good as you think they are and you are twice as good as you think. Remember that God is with you so place yourself in his hands.
If you feel you need a counselor to figure out why you are having difficulty with your self-confidence then by all means get one. Also, make an honest assessment of the abilities you have and then multiply that assessment by ten and believe in that image of yourself.
Finally, believe yourself to be in God’s hands and allow yourself to feel his energy flowing through you, helping you!
Chapter 2: A Peaceful Mind Generates Power: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
How do you go to sleep? Do you watch the news before you go to bed, or while lying in bed? Do you read the paper or mull over all the negative things that have happened for the day? Do you sleep well doing this or things similar to this?
In this chapter, Peale suggests that if you aren’t sleeping well that perhaps it’s time to take a look at what you do in preparation for bedtime. From what he writes; it is clear that by reading positive inspirational material you will be better off psychologically and wake more rested the next day. From his publication; we can conclude that even listening to or watching inspirational material is preferred rather than the negative content on the news for a more peaceful mind and restful night’s sleep.
Of course, Mr. Peale feels that the Bible is an excellent source of inspirational material given his background, and rightfully so. He tells us that reading inspirational or motivational material out loud is an excellent way to ease one’s mind before sleeping. It is suggested in this chapter, too, that this is not an activity that one has to do alone. It certainly can be an awesome way to share time with a loved one, for sure!
Peale also talks here about emptying your mind of things that are troubling you. Letting go of fear, hate, regrets, etc. can transform our mindset and overall feeling in general to a more positive state of being. He suggests that this should be done at least twice a day but acknowledges that it may be advisable for some to do it more often than this.
In talking about how to bring peace to your mind Peale suggests that we can use visualization as an effective aid. Visualizing peaceful scenes like lakes, beaches, and forest scenery could certainly do the job for some folks alone. But, if this is not the case for you; he also suggests using the technique of saying peaceful words to go along with each visualized scene. These words could be ones like tranquility or serenity. I’m sure most of us could come up with our list easily enough but you get the idea. Visualize a peaceful scene and say to yourself a peaceful word. See what happens!
If you want more tips for achieving a peaceful state of mind Peale’s certainly got them. In this chapter, he also talks in his writing about how while in conversation with others, your very tone of voice, combined with the words you use, can make a difference in how peaceful or anxious you and those around you can feel! Say things in an agitated way using strong language and you will get stress! Say things in a calm tone of voice using words that express more peaceful ideas and you get a more relaxed state of being for yourself and those around you.
This chapter also talks about how it is important to take at least fifteen minutes a day to stop actively thinking. Take time to disengage the mind and do this in the quietest place available to you. This regular practice will go a long way toward helping you maintain peace and calm within yourself. Understandably this is not always that easy to do given our modern society. A lot is going on around us even though we may be quiet and still.
However, Peale does offer a suggestion that may help us to create a peaceful environment within ourselves when no place of absolute quiet is available. When you go to a place that is peaceful take it into your memory as much as possible so that when you need to return to it in your mind you can.
Peale also talks in this chapter about how some folks have difficulty in obtaining a peaceful state of mind because they are punishing themselves over something they experienced or something that they once did. He talks about how this lack of self-forgiveness drives some to a heightened level of activity in an attempt to rid themselves of the guilty feelings. His suggestion for those who are having difficulty in forgiving themselves is to ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness and healing, in earnest.
Chapter 3: How To Have Constant Energy: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
In this chapter, we are told that the mind controls how your body feels. In short, if you tell yourself you are tired, you will be tired! But if you choose to believe you have the resources and support you need you will not be tired!
Peale talks about how God is the source of all energy. He tells us here that if one is constantly mentally connected with God then one will have more energy to go about their business. Here we learn, too, that if we maintain a good balance in the areas of our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing these three aspects of ourselves will work together in harmony. This in turn will cause us to be more energized with a bonus! We’ll experience greater overall efficiency in our day-to-day lives. Pretty cool, ha?
In this chapter of, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” it is stated that fear, resentment, obsession, etc. is what breaks our connection with infinite energy. However, if we relax we can more easily remain connected with infinite energy.
We also read in Peale’s book that if one is enthusiastic about something they tend to have more energy because they are doing what they are passionate about. We are told that if our life is dull we will be tired and in some cases may even become sick.
Peale writes that if you are to achieve greater energy in your life then you will have to correct your emotional faults. He says that people who lack energy are usually disorganized to one degree or another because of their psychological conflicts. Also, hate will certainly block energy should you choose to harbor it. Not only can negative emotions, like fear and guilt, sap energy in general, but can also rob someone of restful sleep. This in turn will contribute to having less energy until the source of these negative emotions is discovered and dealt with.
Chapter 4: Try Prayer Power: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
In this chapter Peale points out that if you pray in the morning and evening the days will go easier. He writes here that you will be calmer as the day unfolds. He says, too, that your thoughts and actions will achieve more effective results for you no matter what difficulties may arise.
We learn that if done in earnest, prayer can help improve your physical health and slow the aging process. However, Peale advises in this chapter that we keep up with the latest prayer techniques.
Peale explains that there are a variety of prayer techniques that can be found in the New Testament of the Bible alone. He tells us too, that findings are coming to light all of the time about better prayer techniques that we can use to our advantage because they’ve been found by what he called, “prayer geniuses,” to be effective.
Not only is it a good idea to make it a point to talk to God throughout your day as much as possible, as if you were talking to a normal person right next to you, but that you should assume and visualize that you have what you are asking for. If you do this, what you are asking for will become at least somewhat of a reality. You must be willing to accept that you may not always get what you want and that God will usually bring you something better.
In, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” we are told that prayer can be used to deal with everything from a failing marriage to coming up with new creative ideas in a business environment. Of course, we are also told, too, that visualizing and praying must be balanced with doing some actual work in the direction we hope to achieve success. But it is also pointed out in this chapter that our work can be directed through prayer. It is implied here that prayer will often lead to useful insights which then would guide us in the right direction.
Peale also suggests that praying for others around you can work to your advantage. In some examples; he even talks about how praying for people that don’t seem to like you can actually lower their resistance to you and bring them around to your side in a positive way.
If you choose to focus on all of the good things you liked about your day then you will sleep even better. It is explained that this is because by focusing on the positive points of a given day you are driving from your mind all of the negative things that happened. This leads to feeling more refreshed when you awaken the next morning. With continued practice, this leads to more productive, positive days ahead.
Chapter 5: How To Create Your Happiness: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
In this chapter, we start by discovering that there are only two choices you have in the morning when you get up. Be happy or don’t be happy! However, the author doesn’t deny that where love is found it tends to make for the happiest moments in one’s life.
points out that even in the Bible Jesus suggests that happiness is created by having a child-like spirit in your heart and mind. He writes that if you can maintain your view of the world from a youthful perspective and avoid becoming overly sophisticated it goes a long way towards greater happiness.
This chapter of the book points out, too, that you don’t need to manufacture unhappy thoughts because outside influences do that for you already. However, it is also noted that if you make it a habit to be happy your happiness will be less diluted by outside negative forces in the world.
gives suggestions of how you can start your day being happy. Upon waking, picture each thing you are going to do during the day going well. He points out that if you do this with enough faith things will happen the way you see them happening. He also encourages affirming to yourself, as you get up and ready to start your day that things are going to go well.
You can say to yourself “there won’t be anything that happens that I can’t handle”. Or you can say affirming, positive statements found in the Bible.
This chapter tells us that if we practice loving others this also helps to uplift us in turn. This is because of the positive response we get from those people due to our random act of kindness. Peale also says to make up a list of positive things and recite it to yourself a few times a day in addition to the other things already suggested here. This will help you drive out the negative thoughts that could otherwise be plaguing your mind, both consciously and subconsciously.
Finally, at the close of this chapter, Peale states that you can be happier by surrounding yourself with positive people. These would be people feeling good about themselves and those around them. Peale also points out that by asking God for help, ideas can come to you about how to deal with certain situations that are troubling. He tells us, too, that through prayer, extra energy can be found in order to do those things you didn’t feel you had the physical strength within you to do before.
Chapter 6: Stop Fuming And Fretting: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
It is written at the very start of this chapter that fretting is such a waste and unproductive use of your energy. Peale explains that if you are to find peace and become more productive you need to slow down physically as well as emotionally.
He points out that God moves slower than we do in these modern times and will not work to keep up with us. He writes that God will only work for us in this way and will get things done at his pace. Peale tells us that even though God’s pace is slower than what we’d like it to be his deliverance is still executed in an efficient manner. Peale suggests that we can be just as efficient.
In short, slow and steady gets a lot of stuff done with quality! Rush jobs show up to be just that, “rush jobs”. Working or even living a life that way will wear you down very quickly both physically and emotionally!
We continue on in this chapter to discover that we can beat the destructive power of living a fast-paced, stressful life by intentionally slowing down and enjoying the quiet places the world has to offer. Stop to enjoy the beauty of nature and find a way to make some quiet time. Yes! That does actually mean taking in the stillness around you! Doing this will in turn make you more still inside and can actually prove to be quite refreshing.
What? You don’t think that will work for you? Try it out anyway. You might actually enjoy the results!
You don’t have to be the one to do it all! The weight of the world does not rest on your shoulders. All that you think you have to do is more or less a figment of your imagination. There are plenty of other people that can do what you do. In short, life will go on without you long after you are dead and buried.
It is recommended that if you want to beat the stress, stop fretting and fuming. Deliberately put on the brakes at the busiest point of your day and practice serenity. Practicing serenity should be done at least for fifteen minutes once every twenty-four hours. If you can, do not rush to rise in the morning. Slow down the pace in reaching appointments; take a step back when you feel the nervous excitement kicking in, etc. These are strongly suggested remedies for attaining more peace in your life.
Thinking peaceful thoughts can go a long way towards slowing down and achieving a more peaceful state of being. Taking a break is all well and good but if your thoughts are anything but peaceful then the idea of stopping is rather pointless. The negative impact on your body from negative thoughts is well known by the medical profession.
If you want to take emotional control it is not going to come overnight. It must be worked at. The best way to do this is to start by taking control of your mind and body. Practice being still, does not argue, stop pacing, wringing your hands, fidgeting, etc. Doing this will help to quiet the mind. In short, be conscious of what your physical reactions are when you are in situations of a stressful nature and change them.
When you get mad, do you clench your fist? If you do, deliberately stop and stretch out your fingers. When you feel yourself starting to yell, deliberately lower your voice to a whisper. These are a few suggestions intended to help you get the idea. Can you think of a few more that might help? Awesome! Put them into action for the sake of a more relaxed, happier, and healthier you!
Chapter 7: Expect The Best And Get It: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
all things are possible to him that believeth!” By learning to change your mental thinking from negative to positive, to belief rather than doubt, you can expect that more and more things will become a possibility.
Peale tells us that it doesn’t mean that we are going to get everything we want. But he does write in this chapter that this kind of view of the world is a great start for succeeding.
Apparently, the general feeling in the world of psychology and religion is that there are forces that are set into motion that can attract things to us that we want. However, this is only if we are thinking positively. But we are also told in this part of Peale’s book that it is advisable that we be mindful of the fact that we will attract negative things. This is especially true for us if we constantly expect negative things to come our way. In short, think you will be defeated and you will be defeated! Expect to be victorious and you will be!
You can be changed from a person who doubts yourself into a person who believes in life, other people, yourself, and God. How? This can be accomplished by affirming belief through the use of positive affirmations. The recipe is simple! Find powerful faith statements and memorize them! Then, repeat the statements you’ve chosen to yourself as you go to sleep each night. Peale assures us that through a sort of spiritual intervention things will change not only for the person who does this on the subconscious level but in the environment around them as well.
Peale tells us that in order to get what we want the willingness to change ourselves to get it is not an option but a requirement. Your own attitude can be the very thing that stands in the way of getting what you want a majority of the time.
Expectations must have clearly defined goals in order to be reached. No clear picture of what you want? Well, how do you expect to get it if you aren’t able to see it or don’t feel all that passionate about getting what you want in the first place?
Desire plays a big part in being able to achieve your goals. Peale tells us, in a roundabout way, that you are most likely to succeed if you have a burning desire. Yes! If your desire for something is to the point of a healthy obsession it will certainly help you achieve what you are after.
If accomplishing what you want in life is what comprises a large majority of your thoughts then there is a good chance you will succeed in getting where you want to be. This is especially true if you are taking action to get there. Thoughts alone don’t do the trick. At some point, action has to take place in order for us to fulfill our innermost desires in life.
Chapter 8: I Don’t Believe In Defeat: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Obstacles were made to be removed and can be if you’ve got the right mindset. Go around them! If not, go over them! If not, go under them! If that doesn’t work then, just plow right on through them!
Of course, Peale informs us in this chapter that sometimes all that is required of us is that we simply just stand up to our obstacles. He tells us that if you stand up to them and let them break over you (so to speak) you will have destroyed them. This will leave the path ahead to your goal quite clear.
Even the very words you say can impact your attitude towards yourself and what you believe you can accomplish. For example, “I’m probably going to be late”, stated in general conversation enough times on a regular basis will more than likely cause you to be late to a lot of your engagements.
Obstacles are more or less mental. Peale tells us that it is true that there may be real obstacles in your life. But he also says here that because you have to mentally process them it is your attitude combine with faith that determines whether or not they stay permanent. If you adopt a, “Through Christ all things are possible” type of attitude you will tap into a power that will, by and large, make all things possible!
Chapter 9: How To Break The Worry Habit: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Worry will certainly shorten our lives if we are in a constant state of it. Medical professionals are well aware of this fact. It causes more than just failure after failure in the lives of many who seem to be unable to let go of their fears and ill will towards others. It also can be traced right down to the source of physical ailments and disease.
Peale tells us that the best way to live longer is to learn to stay calm, go to church and eliminate worry. He suggests that couples live longer than single people because when you are a couple the worry is divided but when you are single you are trying to manage it alone. Other factors that seem to contribute to living longer are things like getting to bed early and being early to rise, having a serene mind, getting a lot of fun out of life, doing all things in moderation, keeping busy, having faith in God plus eating lightly and simply.
The first step to breaking the worry habit is pretty simple. This is according to Peale, anyway. Believe that you can! Other steps to breaking the worry habit include practicing emptying your mind before you go to sleep. This is so that you don’t have your mind embedding your worries and fears more deeply into your subconscious. That impedes mental and spiritual flow. The last five minutes before falling asleep are said to be the most critical. During that time the thoughts you have will be carried into the subconscious. The thoughts you have in your mind during that time will solidify their power over you as you drift off if you allow them to persist.
How do you clear your mind? Well, how’s your creative visualization working these days?
We discover in this part of the book that if you literally picture your mind emptying of all worry and fear, kind of like water flowing out of a teapot, that is a good start. It is suggested that you combine this image with a positive affirmation along the lines of, “with God’s help I am now free of all fear and worry,” or, “thank you God for allowing me to be free from my fears and worries.”
Do this process, at first, not only just before bed but at least twice more over the course of your day. It will help greatly if you go into a quiet place to do this for at least a five-minute period. The word, “Imagination,” means, “Imaging.” If you imagine something in your mind long enough, some version of it will actualize in reality.
However, it is not enough just to empty your mind of fear and worry! The space left behind by fear or worry’s eviction from your mind must be filled with something more desirable. Thoughts of courage, hope, and expectancy would be good candidates here. Using positive affirmations would be a highly useful way of doing this.
For example; an affirmation like, “I am now protected by God,” would be a good one to start with. Other affirmations might include things like, “God is now filling me with lots of courage!” Or you could go with, “I am now making the right decisions thanks to the Lord’s help!”
If you fill your mind with faith you can force fear to leave. Why do you ask? Because faith and fear don’t cohabitate well together. You can only have one or the other. Practice filling your mind with faith and you will be much better off. And remember, practice makes perfect! If you don’t put these ideas into action, they won’t work for you!
Peale recognizes that we all won’t just stamp out all thoughts of worry and fear so easily. So he suggests starting with the little worries and fears first. Remove the little stuff first by positive affirmation. If you take care of the little stuff first this will give you enough practice to handle the removal of the bigger worries and fears.
For example; if you currently think “I’m going to be late for the bus” replace that with the positive thought, “I’ll leave early enough to catch the bus on time!”
It is advised here that if you want to stay worry-free that you do your best to avoid worry-based conversations. If you find yourself stuck in one then inject positive thoughts and ideas into the conversation. Turn it into something more positive!
Chapter 10: Power To Solve Personal Problems: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Got a problem? Have you considered asking God for help? I mean really asking your Higher Power for assistance as if they were a real person sitting or standing right next to you?
In this chapter, this is exactly what Peale suggests that we do. Look at the Lord your God or Higher Power as being with you always in the same way that you would see your husband, wife, family, friends, and even business associates as being with you!
That’s right! You did just read that!
Talk to your Higher Power or God in the same manner about the things going on in your life as you would to a friend, business associate, or life partner. Hey, don’t knock it until you try it! You just might find out that it can work!
Of course, as you talk to God you have to have faith that God is hearing your words and that he will respond in some way. Your faith should be such in using this method that you expect a response even if it is simply through ideas for a solution coming into your own mind. Otherwise, it is more than likely not going to work.
You don’t have to be the only one talking to God. In certain situations, you may wish to do this as part of a group. This can actually have more powerful effects under certain circumstances if the situation affects all of you. But none of this will work unless you believe it will. Part of getting divine intervention is being able to believe that it exists!
Matthew 9:29: “According to your faith be it unto you!” You don’t have to have a lot of faith to get benefits from it! But, the amount of faith you put out will determine what God will give you back!
If you believe that every problem has a solution you can stay calm and relaxed mentally and physically regardless of the situation. How does this work? If you’ve never done this before Peale tells us that the process basically goes like this.
Impartially assemble all the facts about a situation or problem you are experiencing. Take care to write down the facts on paper to clarify what they are. Pray about the problem or situation you are experiencing. Believe in and seek God’s guidance. Trust your intuition. Do all this with an attitude of faith and the final solution is yours to experience!
Chapter 11: How To Use Faith In Healing: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Imagine what the cost of medical care would be if only more people had faith! Do you believe that faith, the acceptance of your Higher Power or God, can heal you physically? There is some pretty strong evidence that it can!
Peale points out that since religion deals with how one feels and the thoughts one has, it is only natural to assume that religion and health should be closely related. Does the phrase, “mind-body connection” have any particular meaning to you? If it does then you are in luck because that’s a pretty big part of what we are talking about right here!
Harboring feelings of hate and bitterness can have a serious impact on your health. This can lead to some serious medical complications and issues that cannot be corrected by medical science alone. However, Peale talks about instances where folks made the decision to let go of their feelings of hate, bitterness, and anger. They replaced them with feelings and thoughts of forgiveness along with understanding and their conditions improved dramatically. Yes, they healed because they did this!
Some doctors have already come to understand that a lot of their patients do not need medication to heal their bodies but do need to change the way they think in their minds. He tells us that there is evidence to suggest that high blood pressure is actually caused by a person’s fear of the future. According to Peale; there is also evidence to suggest that diabetes is caused by a person’s inability to let go of the disappointments of the past, along with the past itself.
If it is the plan of God that a person shall continue to live then the formula of medical, psychological, and spiritual administrations together will prove to be highly effective. We’re all going to have to leave this place called Earth sooner or later. Someone’s time here may come to an end whether we are ready for them to go or not.
Factors present that seem to bring about healing for many people who have experienced it through faith are; A willingness to surrender themselves completely to their God or Higher Power, a desire to be cleansed in their soul of all errors, faith in modern medical science plus the healing power of God, a willingness to accept the final decision of their Higher Power or God without any anger or resentment of God’s will and unquestioning faith that God can heal them. These people who have experienced healing through faith have reported a sense that a positive physical change occurred within them and described feelings of warmth, joy, beauty, plus a sense of release or light passing through them to accompany this sense of having been healed.
It is important to pray not only for ourselves, or perhaps even a loved one we wish to be healed with all of our heart, but for the physician providing care for us or our loved one. Why? Because God works through them on our behalf, too! From this, we can easily conclude that God, or Universal Higher Power, can work through other people to bring you answers to questions, help when you need it, and even healing, in part or full.
Chapter 12: When Vitality Sags Try This Health Formula: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
We have covered already the effects on a body of hate, vindictiveness, anger, worry, guilt, and fear. Well, guess what! We’re going to look at them a little more!
Perhaps you are one of those who catch a cold a lot. Do you notice a pattern between when you catch your cold and an event in your life acting as the trigger, like an argument, for instance? Do you think about a dreaded event that is pending and then perhaps find yourself on the way to the doctor’s office seeking aid in getting rid of a full-blown fever, or worse, the hospital? Perhaps you are suffering from a lack of energy a lot of the time and having difficulty in maintaining the creativity you once had.
But, it doesn’t stop there! Are your children getting sick a lot? Is there a lot of stress and tension in the household in which they live? This chapter suggests that there just might be a link there, too.
If your answer is yes to some or all of the above then Peale has some good news for you! There is a cure in the house that can greatly improve your physical condition!
Peale explains to us that these things are a result of holding on to negative feelings of ill will or even guilt over misdeeds you’ve performed. He tells us that the only real solution is, to be honest with yourself about what it is that you are really feeling and to cast the negative stuff out. He tells us to ask God, or Our Higher Power, for assistance and even forgiveness if we feel we need it during this process of letting the negative thoughts and feelings we are harboring go.
Peale offers some really good recommendations about how to manage anger. He explains the physiological symptoms that can happen when you become angry – the tensing of the body, hands curling into fists, the raised tones of voice, and the adrenalin that shoots through our body. Yup, even in modern times the good old caveman survival tool of fight or flight kicks in!
To counterbalance anger your action must be deliberate. He didn’t say it would be easy. However, he contends that if you make it a point to keep your fingers extended, your tone lowered to a whisper (if need be) and your overall body relaxed then you can maintain control over your anger, minimizing the negative physiological side effects. Also, telling yourself that it is pointless to get angry and to skip it can contribute to your being able to override the emotion of anger, especially if you tell yourself these things out loud, too.
Counting to ten works for some folks. Saying out loud the first ten words of the Lord’s Prayer may prove more effective for others. Holding a mental image of someone we know who never gets angry no matter what and trying to picture that individual as being angry may work best for others. Because you’ve never seen that person angry you won’t be able to picture it. This in turn can put the brakes on your own feelings of anger.
Writing a list down of everything that irritates you can help to control your anger. You can then take each item on the list and pray or meditate on it so as to neutralize the item so it is no longer an irritation to you. He explains that you will have better chances of controlling your anger if you pick away at it a little at a time.
Take time during the day to affirm to yourself that anger is not worth the damage that it does to yourself. He is not saying that if a problem arises not to do something about it. He is suggesting that the resolution to a problem or conflict is far more achievable from a position of calm objectiveness rather than one of anger.
Also, when problems arise, do something about them! Peale tells us that if we do not take swift action to resolve the problem we face then it will cost us more emotionally and physically than it is worth because it is on our minds for longer than it needs to be.
Chapter 13: Inflow Of New Thoughts Can Remake You: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
There is just no room for negative thinking in this process! Out with the negative old and in with the positive news!
As you may have already gathered by reading thus far, it’s hard to be positive when you’re caught up in the negative! Peale illustrates very plainly in this chapter how lack of faith and negative thinking can really prevent you from seeing a positive outcome. This presents a problem because if your head is buzzing with the negative, how can you expect to get an inflow of fresh thoughts which you will require to move toward the desired goal?
In order to move forward in the direction you wish to go, you must first be able to see the end destination clearly and firmly in your mind. Yes! This does involve being able to see in detail what you want or where you want to be. Next, you need to believe that if it is God’s will you will have what you seek.
It isn’t so much your environment that makes you who you are but the thoughts that you have that can make all of the difference in the world. If your thinking and doing are wrong then you will inevitably experience failure after failure. However, if you are willing to go to your Higher Power or God and ask for help as you work to change to right thinking and doing then you are poised to be successful in your life ventures.
You can think yourself right into trouble or out of it. You can make yourself sick by thinking about it but you can also make yourself well by thinking yourself into better health, too. Prayer or meditation certainly helps this process and if you already talk to your Higher Power or God as if you would a person then you are well on your way to better things in your life.
When dealing with negative circumstances we do not have to accept them. The best approach is to develop a clear picture in your mind as to how those circumstances should be and use full detail. Pray or meditate about what you’ve just visualized, work at it, and believe in what you see in your mind. In this way, you can actually bring your mental picture into reality.
Peale tells us that the above is one of the greatest laws in the universe. Think in terms of the positive and you will get positive results! Think in terms of the negative and you will get negative results. You reap what you sow, right?
In addition to visualizing what you want as if you already have it you can do one more thing to help the process along. Put a thank you in advance into your prayer or meditation! When you write a letter to someone about a matter and you want a response from them, you may write, “Thank you in advance for your speedy reply.” Right? That’s pretty much what Peale is saying you can do with your prayer or meditation to God or Higher Power when it comes to attracting a positive resolution or situation.
Take an entire week and make it a point to look at everything in a hopeful, positive light. Then take two days off to look at everything in a more realistic fashion. Peale assures us that by sticking with this exercise for a week before taking two days off that your perception of what is realistic will have changed in a big way!
Make a list of the friends you have. Then stick close to the ones who are the most positive on the list until you’ve absorbed their spirit. Once you’ve done this for a time you can go back amongst your negative friends with your newly embedded positive spirit and thought patterns.
You don’t have to argue with the negative when they bring up subjects and express their negative point of view. What you can do is simply express your positive view of the matter and just leave it at that. If they would rather believe their version of perception as being correct then that is their choice alone. However, after a time, without them even realizing it, your positive outlook just might rub off on them. This happens without you having to do anything other than conduct yourself in accordance with your own newly acquired positive thought patterns and spirit!
Chapter 14: Relax For Easy Power: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Are you taking drugs just to sleep? How’s the natural restorative process of the body supposed to work like that?
A staggering number of Americans are taking medication just to get a good night’s sleep. Peale explains that he himself has noticed that he hasn’t put people in his church to sleep with a sermon in years. He feels that it is largely due to the fact that folks are just so keyed up it’s impossible for them to relax.
Where is he getting his information about the amount of medication usage just for sleeping? From drug company executives and Doctors, just to mention two groups of professionals that certainly would be in the know!
Want to learn to relax? Find out why you have trouble relaxing. If you don’t know why you are unable to relax, it’s just not going to happen! Then why is very important.
If you are prone to do stupid things it’s kind of hard to stop doing them if you don’t know the trigger that makes you do them. It’s the same idea behind not being able to relax. Find the answer to that and you will begin to work out a plan for stopping what’s happening in the life that causes you unrest. If you can figure it out you will be better able to manage stress at the very least.
Unrest leads to disease which is otherwise known as disease!
Getting in the habit of doing everything more slowly and without feeling pressured is one way to overcome the kind of stress that will prevent you from relaxing. Getting in tune with your Higher Power or God is another effective way to take the edge off your day.
Some folks do this as a couple by sharing a period of prayer or meditation each day. Other folks take the time alone. It doesn’t matter how you do this. You don’t have to do it with anyone if you don’t want to. The idea here is that you take the time to get in tune with God which automatically requires you to relax your mind and body. Peale notes that those who make the time to do this on a daily basis are extremely efficient at their work and other areas of their life.
Peale points out that there is any number of times in an average day when you can take time to relax and pray or meditate. It could be while sitting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, or even during downtime while experiencing some other type of delay. He points out in this chapter that it is not the amount of time that you take to do this but the quality of it.
The more relaxed you are the better you can perform tasks and even handle stressful situations. From a position of calm, it is very easy to remain friendly, think clearly, and work toward a resolution even when the people you are dealing with are hostile.
Draw your energy from God, or Higher Power, and then allow it to return back to God again so that it may be renewed.
Taking yourself too seriously, trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, trying to do everything at once, is a sure-fire way to cause yourself more stress and less efficiency in your life. If you choose to like your work then the work you do will be much easier to perform. The more knowledge you can acquire about the work you are doing the less stressed and better off you’ll be. After all, knowledge is power!
Practice staying relaxed and taking things as they come along. The tenser you are the less you will be able to accomplish or manage.
Don’t put off work that could be done today simply because you don’t feel like doing it. A job becomes much harder to perform when you are working at it from behind the eight ball. In short, keep up with your work, and don’t be a slacker!
Take on your Higher Power or God as a silent partner. He’s pretty good at your job, too, especially since he’s responsible for putting you here in the first place. As you maintain a relaxed state, going about your business, you’ll easily be more able to pick up on the insights which come into your mind from him on how to best complete your tasks.
In this chapter, we discover that it is perfectly natural for us to want to feel liked and even needed. Peale tells us that if folks tell us that they don’t care if they are liked or not then they are not being honest with themselves because desiring to be liked and needed is part of human nature.
There are a few ways in which Peale suggests that we can get people to like us better. Who doesn’t want to be liked more? Right? So, here we go!
People absolutely love it when you can remember their name. Hey, even if they are room service in a hotel or the waitress in a restaurant, remembering their name means a lot to them! If you remember their name and use it in interactions with them, no matter what it is, it’s going to work to your advantage!
Acquire and cultivate the quality of being easy-going and relaxed, if you aren’t already so that people feel comfortable around you. Being tense and easily upset isn’t going to earn you new friends or even the respect of the people you deal with on a regular basis.
In your endeavor to be interesting make sure you don’t cross the line into being egotistical. Yes, people like and tend to gravitate toward people who are interesting. However, keep in mind that no one likes a know it! So whatever you don’t overdo it when you are attempting to keep people’s interest in you.
Take care to watch how you interact with others so that you can improve your own personality. Some people don’t mind folks who swear like a truck driver, who’s just been cut off on the interstate, during the normal conversation but it may not do you any favors with the majority! No offense meant to truck drivers, of course! But you get the idea here. Those parts of your current personality that tend to drive people away from you are the elements you might want to curtail or even modify a bit.
Be the bigger person and settle grievances when they arise rather than just letting things fester. You want to be likable but not someone’s doormat. Nor does anyone else want to be something you wipe your shoes on. Resolving problems, which will inevitably come up in any relationship, helps to drain off the negativity in your own mind as well as the minds of those you may still be having issues with. This is not only beneficial on an emotional level, for all of you, but on a spiritual level as well!
If you are not a, “people person,” you’ll want to work on that one. If you approach people you’ve never met with the attitude that you already like them they will be more likely to respond more positively to you than if you approach them with a less than positive or wary type of attitude.
If someone tells you they have achieved something, congratulate them! Of course, expressing sorrow, sympathy or even disappointment about a negative event they’ve recently had to happen in their life will certainly earn you points, too. You don’t have to wallow in the sad stuff with them but showing a bit of compassion for their situation certainly is what most decent human beings would do and, it’s allowed!
Peale also recommends in this chapter that you cultivate a deep spiritual experience in your own life. You will have something more deeply based within you that you can use to help other folks who may need it down the road.
Chapter 16: Prescription For Heartache: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
Peale talks in this chapter about how heartache can affect you physically in a negative way but is really only an emotional or spiritual pain. This is not to say that it is a bad thing but certainly can be if one allows it to take over them completely.
It is okay to yield to grief (heartache is an expression of grief). Crying is a normal and natural part of the process. It is rather unhealthy, as well as unnatural, to suppress the tears that should be allowed to come when we feel grief, regardless of what society may think and teach about the matter these days.
Succumbing to tears is only an issue when it gets to a point when you are in a tearful state way more often than what the situation may warrant. In that case, it may be wise to seek some help. But, in the “normal” scheme of things, crying is permissible and allowable when in association with heartache.
Some ways of managing your heartache are talked about in this chapter, too. They include; staying physically active, working mentally and physically on worthwhile projects, and keeping things as normal as possible with regard to your daily routine.
There is a tendency of people who have lost a spouse to avoid friends, associates, places, and sometimes family members that they used to visit with their significant other while they were alive. The memories brought up by visiting these people and places after they’ve lost their loved ones are too painful. Doing this is not really a good idea or the recommended way to go because it is isolating behavior. It gives way more control to the heartache they are experiencing in their life than what is necessary.
In the case of heartache brought on by death, Peale tells us that it is evidenced in the teachings of the Bible that there is life after death. We can take some comfort in that and also in believing that the dead never truly leave us which is also Peale’s personal belief. Peale tells us that there are plenty of stories to support this fact and that parapsychology is gaining validity in the scientific community.
Chapter 17: How To Draw Upon That Higher Power: Brian Schnabel’s Norman Peale Power Of Positive Thinking Summary.
At this point in the book, you might conclude that this chapter is pretty much a summary of all the techniques and ideas already mentioned in previous chapters. You just might be right in that assumption but read on anyway to be sure!
To draw upon your Higher Power, it is written by Peale, faith, positive thinking, and prayer or meditation to God are all key components. You must have faith in your Higher Power or God as if he is a living breathing entity in your life. You will need to keep an open mind and a state of calm to let God’s power flow through you, work with you and guide you. This can come through thoughts, ideas, the people that you meet, and, at times, raw energy that can manifest itself in each of us in a myriad of ways.
In reading this book you might get the impression that we are perhaps even talking a bit about more than just the power of faith in God, or Your Higher Spiritual Source of inspiration, with its positive effects upon your body and mind. Maybe even more than just the concept of changing thought patterns or using words written in a book 2,000 years ago for inspiration or as a moral compass. More even than just a faith in Christianity!
Even Peale himself indicates in this chapter that he’s not just talking about faith and positive thinking but a force that is way larger than all of us that comes under the realm of the supernatural! Isn’t that what the Bible is all about anyway? Isn’t God or your Higher Power a supernatural force that created the earth and humanity?
Sure! The Bible tells a story and provides us with an ideology to follow. But, no matter how you slice it, to draw upon your Higher Power you will have to be willing to believe in something that may seem to be mystical in nature. But, if the end result is experiencing real-life changes in your own life, mind, and body, does it really matter what science can prove or disprove?
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Regardless of whether or not who or what you believe in is seen or unseen, supernatural or normal one thing is certain. Your future certainly will be a bright one if it unlocks The Power of Positive Thinking!
