Sadly, many people suffer from depression. I have often felt depression is caused by a traumatic event or a dysfunctional lifestyle — not a chemical imbalance as the drug companies would have us believe. In fact, I have had many arguments about this with my medical friends!

Read this article: www.Newsweek.com/id/232781/page/1

Lesson learned: Depressed? Change your thought patterns, live a healthy lifestyle . . . be happy. Learn how, assert your free will, change how you think and react . . . you can do it (if you want)!

Try this for help escaping depression: www.wisdomscientific.com/proddetail.php?prod=506CD&cat=12

P.S. Certainly some individuals suffer from depressive conditions that are biologically based and medical treatment is needed. However, these individuals do not account for the 27 million users counted in 2005.

Regards,
Abe

Hi everybody,

Go ahead and empower yourself to solve your problems. Don’t weaken yourself with unproven beliefs. Here are three common “truths” to trash:

1. “People don’t change.” [Another version] “A leopard doesn’t change its spots” [Meaning people don't change]. Actually, people do change. In fact all of education is based on the precept that “change” is not only possible, but it is easy and for all. If you or a family member has some undesirable behavior, know it can be changed. You, or he or she only needs to “learn” new behaviors.

2. You can only change yourself – you can’t change another person. Sorry, but this has got to be one of the silliest things I have ever heard. The “real truth” is we all influence each other all the time. For example: You want someone to be “nicer,” show them kindness and it will come back to you with dividends.

3. You have to make changes for yourself and not to please others. Balderdash!!! You can, and you do, behave in precise and intentional ways to impress others, to increase the likelihood of getting what you want, etc., etc., etc. For example: When you sought to endear yourself to another, you flirted; dressed in attractive clothes; and carefully constructed your words. You “changed” to please another so they would like/love you. Yes, you can change to please another – and it works and brings you concrete benefits. You can give-up smoking because your family hates it. You can control your anger because you don’t want to frighten your children. You can become more aware of another person’s needs so they will love you.

When I hear these and others so called “truths,” I point to the garbage can and propose this is a good place to leave them.

“Yes we can,” is a much better motto. Hang it on the wall and embed it in your mind. It will give you strength.

Wishing you the best,

Abe

Mom: Tim its time to get up. I setout your clothes for you. They are on your chair.

Tim doesn’t like the clothes his mother has chosen. In fact, he doesn’t like her choosing them at all. He wants to wear his blue jeans and hiking boots. He meant to tell his mother about the school hike last night, but he forgot.

Tim feeling frustrated speaks: But mom, you know I like to choose my own clothes. What’s the big deal if I decide what to wear? It’s not like I’m a baby, I’m already nine-years-old. All my friends get dressed by themselves. Besides, today we are going on a hike, so I want hiking clothes!

Mom feeling defied shouts: Tim if you wanted to wear different clothing you should have told me yesterday! Now it is too late! I already put out your clothing. And you will wear what I choose.

Mom continues: You know the “rules.” If you wanted to tell me something you needed to tell me the night before. You decided to not follow the rules and now you will just have to suffer!

Tim, tears in his eyes, answers: It wasn’t on purpose . . . I just forgot.

Mom snaps back: Tim, I am not in the mood for silly excuses. You are wrong. Just admit it. Now you will get dressed and put on the clothes that I chose. And hurry up . . . the bus is coming.

Mom storms out of the room.

Tim cries.

Ten minutes later mom feels bad. She doesn’t wants to be mean. But it’s like there is a devil inside her. Her mom was mean, and she always promised herself she would be different with her own children.

My thoughts:
Most of us know what the “right thing” is. Mom realized she was mean and she regretted it. But knowing what to do is not the same as doing-it.

Why? The thinking-mind and the emotional-mind are two different worlds.

Mom’s “thinking-mind” wanted her to be kind. But her “emotional-mind” pushed for meanness to have the control she sought.

Solution

We can all “educate” our emotional-mind. Here’s two ways:

Will power. Write on a paper a detailed description of the new behavior you seek. Monitoring yourself throughout the day imposing upon yourself the “new” tandard of behavior. At the end of each day formally evaluate your failures nd successes. Continue until the degree of success sought has been achieved.

Success-picture. Create in your mind a picture of what the success you seek looks like. Conjure-up this success-picture with great detail. Consider in a variety of situations what it would look like (to you and others), what it would sound like, what it would feel like. Then, several times a day, close your eyes and think about your “success-picture” in detail. Continue until the degree of success sought has been achieved.

Wisdom Scientific success library
We have created a library of self-improvement audio programs. Each one uses he power of your will and the power of your mind to give you the success you seek.
Check them all out at WisdomScientific.com.

Be your best. Live a healthy and happy life,

Abe