From what I understand about the book, it's the same message that has been put forth for decades now (I have a book from the 1920's by Florence Schovell that says exactly the same thing.)
I do think that attitude affects your life to a good degree, but I have a problem with the claims they make because it seems to me that it says that if something isn't going right in your world, it's your fault because you didn't make it happen right by your attitude. That's getting into blaming the victim, or thinking you have control over things you really don't.
I don't believe you can make things happen by just believing it will. I don't believe people get cancer because they weren't thinking right. I don't believe poverty is caused by not thinking right. (that CAN factor in a lot, certainly, but sometimes you can do everything right and just have really bad luck...which again, wasn't caused by something YOU did) I do not believe victims of Hurricane Katrina were to blame for being hit by a hurricane and flood. I do think it's true, obviously, that the way someone reacts to these things has a wide range from really stupid to really smart - but I think that bad stuff just happens to us. *shrug* It's a random world with no guarentees.
That's just my opinion on it - by all means, have a positive attitude and try to turn lemons into lemonade by whatever means you have - but if a tragedy happens, I think it's cruel to imply that it's because you weren't thinking or manifesting or saying the right affirmations or whatever term they are using. Visualizations ARE good and a useful tool - but it isn't magic. There is no magic trick that allows us control of the uncontrollable. Would that there was. :-)
I do think that attitude affects your life to a good degree, but I have a problem with the claims they make because it seems to me that it says that if something isn't going right in your world, it's your fault because you didn't make it happen right by your attitude. That's getting into blaming the victim, or thinking you have control over things you really don't.
I don't believe you can make things happen by just believing it will. I don't believe people get cancer because they weren't thinking right. I don't believe poverty is caused by not thinking right. (that CAN factor in a lot, certainly, but sometimes you can do everything right and just have really bad luck...which again, wasn't caused by something YOU did) I do not believe victims of Hurricane Katrina were to blame for being hit by a hurricane and flood. I do think it's true, obviously, that the way someone reacts to these things has a wide range from really stupid to really smart - but I think that bad stuff just happens to us. *shrug* It's a random world with no guarentees.
That's just my opinion on it - by all means, have a positive attitude and try to turn lemons into lemonade by whatever means you have - but if a tragedy happens, I think it's cruel to imply that it's because you weren't thinking or manifesting or saying the right affirmations or whatever term they are using. Visualizations ARE good and a useful tool - but it isn't magic. There is no magic trick that allows us control of the uncontrollable. Would that there was.
:-)
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