Mindset Matters

So here we are, a year after "The Secret" took our world by storm and we all decided that just dreaming about that fabulous Ferrari wasn't going to deliver it to our driveways. And the authorities agree, living our ideal life is not just about thinking and wishing and dreaming.

However, the truth is, mindset affects our reality quite a bit. There are plenty of happy children in poor countries, creating games out of the lone plastic bag they found on the street. On the other side, there are plenty of miserable people who on the surface have it all - witness Britney Spears. So let's say we agree that our happiness is not just about the external circumstances, but also about our internal attitude. Where's the proof that our mindset matters?

Here's one scientific experiment. Women who were informed that the work they did (cleaning hotel rooms) is good exercise and satisfies the Surgeon General's recommendations for an active lifestyle not only perceived themselves to be getting significantly more exercise than before, but also showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and BMI - all in four weeks!

Here's another. A study showed that pregnant women who were given sugar pills (placebos) and told that these "drugs" were meant to help cure morning sickness actually got better. Even more amazingly, women who were given (mild) doses of a drug that induces vomiting actually got BETTER when they were taking drugs that should have made them sicker.

YES, these are honest to goodness scientific experiments. Perhaps the mind truly does have amazing power over the body, and perception is the key. Perhaps beliefs can be self-fulfilling prophecies. So how does this apply to you? Where in your life (work, relationships, exercise, fun) can you use the power of your mind and actively use it to your advantage?

Quote of the week: "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford