1500 - 2000 / Affirmations / Rene Descartes

Are Affirmations and Positive Thinking Important?

By Effluo | Published November 24, 2021 | No Comments

The power of positive thinking has been discussed by a variety of people of our time, from spiritual gurus to talk show hosts. Let us travel back in time and see what the philosopher who coined the term “I think, therefore I am” would say about this movement that focuses on positive thoughts.

Rene Descartes was a visionary of his time and his work remains as relevant today as it did back in the 1600s. In his “Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One’s Reason“, Descartes stated that his first principle of philosophy was based on the concept of “I think, therefore I am”.

I think, therefore I am (COGITO ERGO SUM), was so certain and of such evidence that no ground of doubt, however extravagant, could be alleged by the skeptics capable of shaking it, I concluded that I might, without scruple, accept it as the first principle of the philosophy of which I was in search.

René Descartes

Power of Thought

Because some men err in reasoning, and fall into paralogisms, even on the simplest matters of geometry, I, convinced that I was as open to error as any other, rejected as false all the reasonings I had hitherto taken for demonstrations;

René Descartes

Descartes pointed out that “in order to think it is necessary to exist“. Once he established this, he went on to say that some people make errors in their judgments and in their reasoning. Therefore, everyone is open to error.

This clears the playing field and challenges you to keep an open mind to the beliefs and prejudices that you may have. These errors may be towards your external world and your internal world.

These may be things that you tell yourself about yourself on regular basis. The limitations you set before you, prevent you from reaching your goals. i.e. you are too busy, too old, too out of shape…

Focus on your thoughts and your established beliefs.

• Are you able to distinguish between fact and opinion?
• Between what is clearly beyond any doubt and what may be disputed?
• Can you break some of the negative thoughts that you choose to focus on?

Selection of Thought

Endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world, and in general, accustom myself to the persuasion that, except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power

René Descartes

Descartes said that it is important to conquer yourself before anything else. He went further to argue that other than our own thoughts, there is nothing in our power. This means that you, as a being who is alive, have the power to choose your thoughts. You can either focus on the negative and believe the self-imposed limitations. Or, you can focus on positive or neutral thoughts that can help shape you into the person you choose to be.

You may have heard all your life that you are not good enough, not smart enough, etc. It’s time to put these thoughts to rest and focus on formulating new beliefs. This is where affirmations come into play. In order to have positive thoughts, it is necessary to formulate them.

Affirmations and Positive Thinking

The following is a 6 step process for taking control of your thoughts and focusing on the positive.

1. Understand that your thoughts do not control you. YOU chose the thoughts to focus on.
2. Listen to the thoughts you think and say about yourself.
3. If they are negative, put them to the test. Are they true beyond any reasonable doubt? Would you say anything like that about your best friend?
4. Formulate positive statements about yourself. Make them highly relevant to the person you want to be.
5. Write these down as affirmations.
6. Read and repeat these affirmations daily.

You are a being who has the freedom and power to choose your thoughts.

Choose wisely.

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