"As a Man Thinketh..."

• Self-help books are everywhere, and one of the trends that is making another big splash lately is the idea that "thoughts become things." If you imagine yourself thin or rich or happy, it will happen. Just take five minutes a day to visualize, put yourself in that perfect situation, and before you know it, you'll find yourself there. What many might not know, however, is that this belief has its roots in Proverbs 23:7 and is translated something like, "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Today, authors are making a ton of money writing about the concept as though they've discovered it and are graciously sharing it with the rest of us, but all we have to do is look to Torah for the same idea.

• There's a little more to it, though, than just thinking about what we want, of course. We must work toward our goals, and we must have faith in ourselves and in God to get there. We live in a society of immediate gratification, and often, if we don't get what we want as soon as we decide we want it, we give up, call ourselves "unlucky" or worse, and mope around with a "glass half empty" attitude. I can't, for example, "think myself thin" without cutting down on sodas and sweets or without getting some exercise. I have to work at it and keep a positive attitude at the same time, which is where the visualization piece can certainly help, but it's more than just that. Furthermore, I can't depend on other people for my happiness- I have to find it within my heart. At the same time, I know that even though I may not wake up feeling "happy," if I smile and look for the humor as I go through my day, I begin to feel better. People who surround themselves with upbeat, positive people are more likely to be more positive themselves.

• There's no magic bullet, but a combination of positive thinking and action toward a goal help us get to that goal. If we all thinketh and acteth and thanketh God for our many blessings, we're more likely to get to where we want to be!