<div>There are occasions in every teacher’s life when a lesson turns into a learning experience. <br /><div><br />Some years ago, during a value-education class, I tried to open the minds of high school children to the importance of self-awareness.</div><div> </div><div>To introduce the subject, I requested them to spell out one positive and one negative quality that each recognised in herself.</div><div><br />To my surprise I found that while they had little or no difficulty in pointing out a negative trait, finding a positive one took them much longer. I realised that at an early age, we not only shut ourselves in a negative framework but also find difficulty in stepping out of it easily.</div><div> </div><div>Perhaps, this is not really very surprising.</div><div><br />We live in an imperfect world, surrounded, for the most part, by what is less than ideal.</div><div> </div><div>We are confronted with authoritarianism, criticism, injustice and disappointment. Our leaders are scarcely the role models we want them to be.</div><div> </div><div>Each day brings more news of corruption, crime and atrocities. In a world of dwindling resources, survival has become a rat race.</div><div><br />A fast-paced routine has left little room for simple courtesies and a nurturing, positive approach to life.</div><div> </div><div>Negativity has become the norm, the accepted route to success. We have been tempted into the false belief that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic.</div><div> </div><div>Psychological evidence and scientific research, however, have shown that being positive has great advantages. We hardly ever contest the saying that we are what we eat.</div><div><br />We are ready to acknowledge that healthy foods are necessary for maintaining bodily health. We tend to overlook the fact though that the same principle applies to the mind.</div><div> </div><div>Said the Buddha thousands of years ago, ‘We are what we think. All that we are, arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.’</div><div> </div><div>Today, scientific findings have added even more validity to these words. It has been found that the mind is like a magnet.</div><div> </div><div>We always attract whatever we think about the most or believe in strongly.</div><div><br />Pessimisti Science has a name for it; it is called the ‘nocebo effect’.</div><div> </div><div>On the other hand, when the mind is filled with positive thoughts, the results are positive, too.</div><div> </div><div>Consider, for example these words spoken by one of history’s most illustrious figures.</div><div><br />‘I am the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed in the whole human family, there would not be a cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell; I awfully forbode that I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better.’</div><div> </div><div>Fortunately for us, he did not take his life.</div><div><br />By sheer dint of resolve and hard work, he rose to be the President of a powerful nation. He was besides a great liberator and a wise statesman.</div><div> </div><div>His name will be cherished as long as human memory endures. It is none other than Abraham Lincoln!</div><div><br /></div></div>
<div>There are occasions in every teacher’s life when a lesson turns into a learning experience. <br /><div><br />Some years ago, during a value-education class, I tried to open the minds of high school children to the importance of self-awareness.</div><div> </div><div>To introduce the subject, I requested them to spell out one positive and one negative quality that each recognised in herself.</div><div><br />To my surprise I found that while they had little or no difficulty in pointing out a negative trait, finding a positive one took them much longer. I realised that at an early age, we not only shut ourselves in a negative framework but also find difficulty in stepping out of it easily.</div><div> </div><div>Perhaps, this is not really very surprising.</div><div><br />We live in an imperfect world, surrounded, for the most part, by what is less than ideal.</div><div> </div><div>We are confronted with authoritarianism, criticism, injustice and disappointment. Our leaders are scarcely the role models we want them to be.</div><div> </div><div>Each day brings more news of corruption, crime and atrocities. In a world of dwindling resources, survival has become a rat race.</div><div><br />A fast-paced routine has left little room for simple courtesies and a nurturing, positive approach to life.</div><div> </div><div>Negativity has become the norm, the accepted route to success. We have been tempted into the false belief that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic.</div><div> </div><div>Psychological evidence and scientific research, however, have shown that being positive has great advantages. We hardly ever contest the saying that we are what we eat.</div><div><br />We are ready to acknowledge that healthy foods are necessary for maintaining bodily health. We tend to overlook the fact though that the same principle applies to the mind.</div><div> </div><div>Said the Buddha thousands of years ago, ‘We are what we think. All that we are, arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.’</div><div> </div><div>Today, scientific findings have added even more validity to these words. It has been found that the mind is like a magnet.</div><div> </div><div>We always attract whatever we think about the most or believe in strongly.</div><div><br />Pessimisti Science has a name for it; it is called the ‘nocebo effect’.</div><div> </div><div>On the other hand, when the mind is filled with positive thoughts, the results are positive, too.</div><div> </div><div>Consider, for example these words spoken by one of history’s most illustrious figures.</div><div><br />‘I am the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed in the whole human family, there would not be a cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell; I awfully forbode that I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better.’</div><div> </div><div>Fortunately for us, he did not take his life.</div><div><br />By sheer dint of resolve and hard work, he rose to be the President of a powerful nation. He was besides a great liberator and a wise statesman.</div><div> </div><div>His name will be cherished as long as human memory endures. It is none other than Abraham Lincoln!</div><div><br /></div></div>
