You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought

This book was recommended for me to read and I found it full of fascinating and poignant quotations along with positive and inspiring techniques and ways of thinking.

Ein tolles Buch, dass ich uneingeschränkt jedem Leser empfehlen kann - mit oder ohne Krankheit. Es enthält so viele wertvolle Denkanstöße, Ideen, Theorien - und das Ganze in einer gut verständlichen, humorvollen Sprache.

self-help booksはたくさん読んできましたが、最も期待を裏切られた本でした。”ほう！”と感じるようなことが一つもない。”死を見つめてpositiveを見る”、という色が濃いために、読んでいるうちに何度もブルーになってしまいました。各ページごとに有名な人の言葉がぽつぽつ出ています。各ページに入れ込んだ作者の努力には敬服しますが、シェークスピアなどの古い人が多いので、古典英語を知らなければ内容理解が全くできません（泣）。

With a wonderful, light-hearted attitude, Peter McWilliams shares his thoughts, and quotes from many of the greats in history, as he discusses how our thoughts form our reality. Indeed, from the very first sentences in the book we get the essence of everything that the author is trying to say, “A simple thought. A few micromilliwatts of energy flowing through our brain. A seemingly innocuous, almost ephemeral event. And yet, a thought—or, more accurately, a carefully orchestrated series of thoughts—has a significant impact on our mind, our body, and our emotions.” On this journey to help us purge our mind of negative thinking, all aspects of life are discussed and no excuse is left undisturbed. Life-threatening illness, the death of a loved one, failed relationships, addictions and many other “reasons” for negative thinking are all addressed, as are the negative emotions that are often associated with some of life’s most trying circumstances. Simply bringing our negative thoughts into the light of awareness is not enough, so Peter emphasizes the steps we can take to focus on the positive aspects in our lives. Pro-active steps to better thinking include: meditation, visualization, using affirmations, having an attitude of gratitude and learning forgiveness. This is quite a lengthy book, and the information is quite extensive, so if you’re expecting a quick read this might not be what you are looking for. On the other hand, if you truly want to make your life better, and if you are truly interested in reading a book that will help eliminate stinkin’ thinkin’, then this could be precisely what you need to read.

All of my life, I've struggled to maintain a positive attitude, even when events or circumstances have been anything but positive. I've read many books on positive thinking, meditation, living in the moment, and forgiveness, trying to keep my thoughts focused on the positive aspects of what happens in my life. It's a constant struggle. YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT is the best, by far, of everything I've read, on specifically how to accomplish that goal. The author doesn't just say that focusing on the positive (which is different from positive thinking!) is something that's essential for a healthy, happy life, which it is. He gives specific things to do in order to tackle the negatives and banish them. I especially loved creating my "life plan" which has already undergone several adjustments, and I use his methods of banishing negative thoughts as they occur, which often require only a few seconds to accomplish. Using his methods hasn't brought a permanent change from negative to positive in my life, because that would be a "magic pill," which doesn't exist. But, using his methods has given me the tools I need to entice my mind to abandon negativity and embrace positive focus minute by minute, over and over and over and over.... I will be rereading this book, in whole or in part, for the rest of my life. And not because I have a life-threatening illness, as the author did when he wrote the book. Because life and negative thinking can be the most life-threatening "illness" of all. Everyone can benefit from this man's funny, quirky approach to choosing life over death, choosing happiness over negativity. I cannot truly express how thankful I am to have found this book and to have incorporated its teachings into my life. Linda George