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A few weeks ago, I forwarded an article titled ‘Perfect Peace’ to a dear friend. In the article, the author put emphasis on these words, “It’s not your circumstances, but how you think about them that robs you of peace.” My friend’s response after reading was, “thank you my dear for those wise words…I need to find my inner peace.”
In this article, we will talk about the power of connection to a secure source and the power of positive thinking.
The Power of Connection to A Secure Source
Some weeks ago, I was watching a movie titled Overcomerand in this movie was a coach who had an opportunity to visit some people in hospital. He accidentally stumbled into a room he initially did not intend to enter. The sick man asked the coach a seemingly simple and straightforward question, “who are you?” The coach proudly answering said he was obviously a basketball coach, a husband and father. The convalescing man repeated the question as if he had not heard the coach’s answer. It got the coach thinking a bit more. His answer eventually changed to, “I am a child of God” to which the recovering man retorted, “why was this answer at the bottom of your list?” This conversation set the man thinking much deeper when he left the hospital.
In his inaugural address on 27th April 1994, Nelson Mandela asserted, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.”
It is often said that one cannot give what they do not have. We will all probably agree that there is no way a peaceful answer can come out of a troubled heart. Consider this question, can a bad tree produce good fruit?
Our source defines and helps us to be healthy mentally and spiritually. When a leader knows and is aware of the nature of his source, who is God, he can be at rest when facing challenges because his source is unshakeable, a solid rock. When a leader is very often prone to fear or insecurity, may we suggest to this leader to check his source?
With the world currently facing the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all beginning to realize just how fragile and frail we are. Our plans and projections now lie in uncertainty making some of us fearful. Our ability to go back to our source, to be recharged and refuelled, again and again, the same way we would recharge a discharged phone battery, will significantly contribute to keeping our hearts at rest. I like the way a conference speaker puts it. He says, “stay connected to the source and you will always be green. Be disconnected and you wither.”
I read the story of a young lady who was on a ship and the sea was so unstable. The lady was in the cabin sleeping when the wind was so violent. The passenger who shared the cabin with her woke her up and asked if she was not concerned about the turbulence. Her answer was simple and came with a smile. My father is the captain of the vessel and I know how experienced he is. She returned to sleep. Despite the agitation, the vessel reached the coast safely. Her trust and confidence in her father’s ability produced in her a deep sense of inner peace. There are a couple of questions a songwriter once asked which every leader should try to answer, “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife? when the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain?”
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale summarizes with this, “always start the day with prayer. It is the greatest of all mind conditioners. In short, be connected to your source.
The Power of Positive Thinking
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale says again, “You are not what you think you are; but what you think, you are”. The source of our challenges usually, are from our own thoughts. A leader who entertains thoughts of fear will lack peace. It requires then that we are careful what we feed on. Our beliefs, values and thoughts are the root of all emotion and behavior. A child who may have grown up in a home where fear was prevalent will likely grow up into an adult leader prone to insecurity and fear unless he becomes aware of this early enough and works at it.
Zig Ziglar says that, “F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours”. An anonymous quote also says fear can be described as False Evidence Appearing Real. Negative thoughts ultimately lead to negative actions which most definitely produce negative results.
There is a popular proverb which says, “As a man thinketh in his heart so he is”. We can easily conclude that a leader who lacks peace feeds himself very often with unpeaceful thoughts. The key is to renew our thinking process with positive and peaceful thoughts. This is not automatic and unconscious.
In chapter 9 of his book, the Power of Positive thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, says that one does not need to be the victim of worries. You can reduce worry by just knowing what actual worry is. The author goes on to say that worry is simply an unhealthy and destructive mental habit. You were not born with the worry habit. It is a habit we acquire. Since we can change any habit and acquired attitude, we can intentionally cast worry from our minds. He continues to say that since aggressive and direct actions are needed and essential in an elimination process, there is one proper and best time for attacking worries and that time is now. So why not start overcoming and attacking your worry from now! RIGHT NOW!!! “Remember, you become a worrier by practicing worry. You can become free of worry by practicing the opposite and stronger habit of faith. With all the strength and perseverance, you can command, start practicing faith,” concludes Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.
Conclusion
For a leader to overcome fear and stay mentally healthy s/he needs to be connected to an “anchor that is steadfast and sure while life’s billows roll; fastened to the Rock which cannot move” and develop the attitude of thinking positively.