Changing Thought by Action
It is often said that changing the way we
think will change our behavior, and this is certainly true. However, changing
our way of thinking is not always easy, because our thought patterns tend to be
rigid. In such cases, another approach is to begin by changing our behavior. By
doing so, we can gradually influence the thought processes in our brain and,
over time, reshape our patterns of thinking. For example, just as it is
difficult to feel sad while skipping or angry while smiling, repeatedly
expressing positive words, especially those of gratitude, can shift our mindset
toward positivity. This change in thinking then influences our behavior and
habits, eventually leading to better outcomes. Of course, no matter how sound
these theories or principles may be, we can truly understand and benefit from
them only by putting them into practice, again and again.
