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Strengthen My Mind
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
I love this verse. Do the stories you listen to have little, or no meaning? Do they contain lots of violence? And, rather than inspire you and raise your standards, do they appeal more to what would be your undisciplined side? If those ARE the kind of STORIES you listen to, you can be sure that tomorrow, your life will as stagnant as it is today.
Like it or not, we become the stories we listen to. So, we need to pay attention. We need to ask ourselves, “What AM I listening to?” “What am I reading?” “What stories are influencing my life and the lives of my children?”
The problem is… learning isn’t urgent. We can ignore learning until the day we die; because ignoring it will never cause our physical death. So, it’s easy to ignore taking the time to learn something new.
When was the last time you said, "I must read a good book today?” or “I must learn something new today?”
It doesn't happen. Why? Because learning isn’t crucial to our survival, like, breathing, eating, and drinking. If we neglect learning WE WON'T DIE.
We forget that our mental depth leads directly to our body, mind, and spirit’s depth, strength, and energy. EVERYTHING in our lives develops as we think: including our mind, our body, and our spirit. If we remembered that what we learn improves and balances our body, mind, and spirit; we probably would be pouring over “classic and inspirational writings” like crazy.
The reason most of us ignore “classical writing” is we associate books and learning with school and work. We don’t have much leisure time to begin with, and who wants to spend whatever little spare time we do have doing "school work?"
Personally, I think one of the saddest states of today’s education is love of learning is no longer taught. Learning has become a means to an end. Learning is necessary to pass exams. Learning is necessary to earn degrees. Learning is necessary to achieve promotions. Learning, like so many other aspects of today’s world, has been brutally separated from our basic life’s goal.
Some of you may argue that intellectually we’re more advanced than ever. That’s true in many ways, but our knowledge has become more and more focused in specifically narrow fields. The trend is for professionals to have knowledge and training in a much narrower base of knowledge; which creates a narrower worldview.
Add exhaustion to the mix and it’s easy to understand why most people like to plop down in front of the TV for hours each evening after work.
So when we look at all these factors, it’s easy to understand why most people ignore any need for scholarly or inspirational stimulation.
Everyone needs to think. How we think varies from person to person.
While many people are involved in academically focused professions, it’s important to stimulate our thinking in a variety of ways. It’s been shown that the more a person is academically focused in their professional field, the more they need other types of thinking to nourish their brain in order to create balance and quite possibly prevent Alzheimer’s.
Besides, a narrow knowledge base is highly unlikely to meet all the needs of anyone’s life journey.
So, for thinking stimulation, we can read magazines about fashion, gardening, sports, finance, pop music, or other areas of interest. We’ll be entertained, but probably not challenged to raise our standards and become our best selves. We need to stretch ourselves… And… to stretch ourselves, we need to explore what is known as “the classics”.
“Classics” sounds so “high brow”, but think about it, the Bible is considered a classic. Selections could and should include a variety of philosophical texts, and the writings by spiritual leaders. It’s in these writings that we confront ourselves with some of the most reflective thoughtful questions and truths about the world, creation, our Spiritual Source, humanity, and our personal journey. Classics always provide us with a vision for our best selves. These profound writings reveal who we are and why we’re here. Classics gently call us out of our comfort zones. These wonderful writings challenge us to dream, to improve, to develop, and live our lives filled with passion. Sometimes I’ll pick up one of these books and spend a whole day on one paragraph; delving into the layers of meaning in that paragraph.
Now if you’d like to find links to a small selection of classics go to Philosophical Classics and Inspirational Classics.
Our need for academic growth is complex and changing. Most professionals need some academic or scholarly focus. All of us, every single one of us, need to embrace a variety of enjoyable classics. We must challenge ourselves to move the boundaries or limits we have set for ourselves concerning our comfort zones. We need to embrace writings that challenge us to dig to the deeper questions, truths, and mysteries of our being. Books change our lives.
Yes, we get some great movies and television, but there is nothing to shift us like a book. Script writers interpret books for us, not necessarily the way you would see it in your mind, and rarely, does a movie or television give a complete account of the book. So I stand by the fact that challenging books change our lives. I believe that with my whole heart.
In our home, we have lots of books. We would have more, but our condo is pretty small and there just isn’t space for more books. But, among our books, I have quite a few books that have been with me for years because each of these books has taught me, filled me, and expanded my thinking. I have books about philosophy, theology, poetry, psychology, and history; some incredible novels, biographies and Classics.
From time to time, when I become discouraged, confused, lonely, fearful, or simply lose my focus; I go to my bookshelf, glance at the titles, and one of those books will call out to me. I’ll take it from the shelf and rediscover, or discover a new point; realizing again, why that book remains close to my heart.
Just like our bodies need regular exercise and a balanced diet; so do our minds. We have a genuine need and responsibility to nourish and exercise our minds. When we choose to nourish and stimulate our minds, our lives change. Great books stimulate and show the way to ideas of excellence and significance. If we allow movies and television to be our “exclusive diet and exercise program”, our lives will remain in our soap opera style life: where there is always something happening, but nothing meaningful ever really happens.
As Henry David Thoreau, American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher, 1817-1862) reminds us: “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”
Books change our lives. Begin your own great books collection. Choose books that help you achieve YOUR key purpose. Make daily reading as important as eating. Allow the classics to gently call you out of your comfort zone. Challenge yourself! Discover your dreams! Improve, develop, and live your passion. Live your life filled with passion.
To find links to a small selection of inspirational and philosophical writings go to Philosophical Classics.
Challenging your thinking is an extremely powerful tool to have in your holistic collection.
Mark Twain wrote, "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."
Like it or not, we become the stories we listen to. So, we need to pay attention. We need to ask ourselves, “What AM I listening to?” “What am I reading?” “What stories are influencing my life and the lives of my children?”
The problem is… learning isn’t urgent. We can ignore learning until the day we die; because ignoring it will never cause our physical death. So, it’s easy to ignore taking the time to learn something new.
When was the last time you said, "I must read a good book today?” or “I must learn something new today?”
It doesn't happen. Why? Because learning isn’t crucial to our survival, like, breathing, eating, and drinking. If we neglect learning WE WON'T DIE.
We forget that our mental depth leads directly to our body, mind, and spirit’s depth, strength, and energy. EVERYTHING in our lives develops as we think: including our mind, our body, and our spirit. If we remembered that what we learn improves and balances our body, mind, and spirit; we probably would be pouring over “classic and inspirational writings” like crazy.
The reason most of us ignore “classical writing” is we associate books and learning with school and work. We don’t have much leisure time to begin with, and who wants to spend whatever little spare time we do have doing "school work?"
Personally, I think one of the saddest states of today’s education is love of learning is no longer taught. Learning has become a means to an end. Learning is necessary to pass exams. Learning is necessary to earn degrees. Learning is necessary to achieve promotions. Learning, like so many other aspects of today’s world, has been brutally separated from our basic life’s goal.
Some of you may argue that intellectually we’re more advanced than ever. That’s true in many ways, but our knowledge has become more and more focused in specifically narrow fields. The trend is for professionals to have knowledge and training in a much narrower base of knowledge; which creates a narrower worldview.
Add exhaustion to the mix and it’s easy to understand why most people like to plop down in front of the TV for hours each evening after work.
So when we look at all these factors, it’s easy to understand why most people ignore any need for scholarly or inspirational stimulation.
At the same time, if we give up our unique gifts: our ability to think, to reason, to decide…
If we give up our right to imagine and dream, our future dies too.
So what are our options?
If we give up our right to imagine and dream, our future dies too.
So what are our options?
Everyone needs to think. How we think varies from person to person.
While many people are involved in academically focused professions, it’s important to stimulate our thinking in a variety of ways. It’s been shown that the more a person is academically focused in their professional field, the more they need other types of thinking to nourish their brain in order to create balance and quite possibly prevent Alzheimer’s.
Besides, a narrow knowledge base is highly unlikely to meet all the needs of anyone’s life journey.
So, for thinking stimulation, we can read magazines about fashion, gardening, sports, finance, pop music, or other areas of interest. We’ll be entertained, but probably not challenged to raise our standards and become our best selves. We need to stretch ourselves… And… to stretch ourselves, we need to explore what is known as “the classics”.
“Classics” sounds so “high brow”, but think about it, the Bible is considered a classic. Selections could and should include a variety of philosophical texts, and the writings by spiritual leaders. It’s in these writings that we confront ourselves with some of the most reflective thoughtful questions and truths about the world, creation, our Spiritual Source, humanity, and our personal journey. Classics always provide us with a vision for our best selves. These profound writings reveal who we are and why we’re here. Classics gently call us out of our comfort zones. These wonderful writings challenge us to dream, to improve, to develop, and live our lives filled with passion. Sometimes I’ll pick up one of these books and spend a whole day on one paragraph; delving into the layers of meaning in that paragraph.
Now if you’d like to find links to a small selection of classics go to Philosophical Classics and Inspirational Classics.
Our need for academic growth is complex and changing. Most professionals need some academic or scholarly focus. All of us, every single one of us, need to embrace a variety of enjoyable classics. We must challenge ourselves to move the boundaries or limits we have set for ourselves concerning our comfort zones. We need to embrace writings that challenge us to dig to the deeper questions, truths, and mysteries of our being. Books change our lives.
Yes, we get some great movies and television, but there is nothing to shift us like a book. Script writers interpret books for us, not necessarily the way you would see it in your mind, and rarely, does a movie or television give a complete account of the book. So I stand by the fact that challenging books change our lives. I believe that with my whole heart.
In our home, we have lots of books. We would have more, but our condo is pretty small and there just isn’t space for more books. But, among our books, I have quite a few books that have been with me for years because each of these books has taught me, filled me, and expanded my thinking. I have books about philosophy, theology, poetry, psychology, and history; some incredible novels, biographies and Classics.
From time to time, when I become discouraged, confused, lonely, fearful, or simply lose my focus; I go to my bookshelf, glance at the titles, and one of those books will call out to me. I’ll take it from the shelf and rediscover, or discover a new point; realizing again, why that book remains close to my heart.
Just like our bodies need regular exercise and a balanced diet; so do our minds. We have a genuine need and responsibility to nourish and exercise our minds. When we choose to nourish and stimulate our minds, our lives change. Great books stimulate and show the way to ideas of excellence and significance. If we allow movies and television to be our “exclusive diet and exercise program”, our lives will remain in our soap opera style life: where there is always something happening, but nothing meaningful ever really happens.
As Henry David Thoreau, American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher, 1817-1862) reminds us: “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”
Books change our lives. Begin your own great books collection. Choose books that help you achieve YOUR key purpose. Make daily reading as important as eating. Allow the classics to gently call you out of your comfort zone. Challenge yourself! Discover your dreams! Improve, develop, and live your passion. Live your life filled with passion.
To find links to a small selection of inspirational and philosophical writings go to Philosophical Classics.
Challenging your thinking is an extremely powerful tool to have in your holistic collection.
Mark Twain wrote, "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."
So…
Just for today… Strengthen your mind… study… learn… something useful. Don’t be a mental loafer.
Just for Today… read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. You’ll be glad you did!
Just for today… Strengthen your mind… study… learn… something useful. Don’t be a mental loafer.
Just for Today… read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. You’ll be glad you did!
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