Today I turned on the television looking for something inspirational, and Joel Osteen’s program was on. (My friend, Rajiv Ramdeo, would label that as synchronicity.) I used to watch his show every week but regrettably have not for over a year. I really enjoy his sermons, and I recommend it to anyone of any religious faith since his sermons are less like traditional Bible-based sermons and more like life lessons that anyone can take away from.

Today’s program reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about recently. I have come to realize that life is such an ongoing battle of influences. We are constantly being influenced by others, particularly our peers. We may like to think of ourselves as self-reliant, but the truth is the actions and attitudes of our peers directly affect us on a day to day basis. We begin to share, we begin to open ourselves to their values and their beliefs. Once you understand that, then it becomes quite clear: Life is an uphill battle.

How much negativity surrounds us in our everyday lives? How often do we hear others (or ourselves say), “I hate this thing,” or “I wish that person would just die,” or “It’s just so unfair that…” And if we don’t command ourselves to be aware, those beliefs are going to begin sowing themselves into the depths of our minds. We start to think, “I should hate that thing,” or “I don’t like that person either,” or “That really is unfair.” We start echoing the words of others, don’t we?

It just so happens that this morning, I was telling my good friend, Ryan Young, something relatable to this post. (Synchronicity, Rajiv?) It was the following quote:

“The single most important decision any of us will ever have to make is whether or not to believe that the universe is friendly.” — Albert Einstein

As a firm advocate of the Law of Attraction, I understand what Einstein was getting at. “Do we live in a friendly universe?” That is the single question that will determine all other aspects of our lives. Because once we answer that question, our lives will be created as such. If we answer, “No, life is hard. Life is full of insurmountable challenges,” guess what? You’ll reap what you sow. But if you answer, “Yes, life is easy. Everybody just wants to be happy,” you’ll also reap what you sow. According to the inspirational film, The Secret, the Universe (or alternatively, God) is always responding to your thoughts (or alternatively, prayers) by saying, “Your wish is my command.” And I know you’ve heard this one:

“Ask and you shall receive.” — John 16:24

Whatever your thoughts are, whatever you expect, good or bad, you will receive it.

My friend, Rajiv, shared with me what his minister was saying during this morning’s sermon:

“Life is about choices. Each morning we wake up to make a choice, to have a good day or a bad one. Our attitude towards life impacts our entire experience. When you think about negativity, you draw in negativity. When you think about positivity, you draw in positivity.”

Ain’t that the truth? It really hones in on the point I was trying to make in my previous post. Maybe I am being a bit repetitive, but we all need a reminder from time to time. So remember, answer “yes” to Einstein’s question, and please commit to it. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for stopping by, bloggers. Enjoy your stay in this friendly universe.