The local swimming pool has been renovated recently. Before trying it out, I ran into two people. One was a glass-is-half-empty-person. He said they had only renovated the roof and the windows. The lockers and the showers were still old though. His voice was full of disappointment and disdain. The other one was a glass-is-half-full-person. He said the pool has been nicely renovated and concluded with a smile on his face saying: “I think you are going to have a really good time there.” The so glorified “being positive” is not an abstract thing. Neither is it something you only think about, when...

Based on comments of the readers of my last blog The Limits of Positive Thinking, I would like to add another limitation. One should not be too specific, when one affirms. Let me explain. If we read books by Louise Hay, there are no affirmations like: “I am married to Tom this and that.” They are always more general: “I am married to a loving man.” The actual Tom this and that is picked by god/the universe/coincidence – whichever you believe in. I would give a similar answer to a lady mentioned in a comment to my previous blog that never wins in a casino. Maybe lottery is not...

I can only come up with one. It’s not clever to endure a difficult situation that could be changed and only repeat to oneself: »It’s fine. It’s fine. It could be worse.« Some situations cannot be changed, that’s true. All one can do in such cases is get used to it. However, there are situations that CAN be changed and those are the times to take action in addition to positive thinking. Let me give you an example. I had some lines from Louise Hay’s book hanging on a wall I was facing while sitting at my desk in my office, where I used to work: »In the infinity of life...

Some weeks ago I ran into an old friend of mine. We have known each other for a long time. We got to know each other in a locked ward of a psychiatric hospital in the previous millennium. When I ran into her the other day, I told her about my book. She was very happy to hear that the book is nearly finished. She said: “I wish I finished something for a change. For the last 10 years I have never finished anything I started.” Well, it’s not easy to live with a mental illness. However if you do something to improve your moods and your self-image, you will pretty soon find out you are capable of a...

I can laugh about it today, but this was a very serious question 13 years ago when I had my first psychotic episode. It seemed sooooooo unfair. My brain was producing numerous questions of self-pity: »What have I done to deserve this? Is this a punishment? For what? Have I not been taking good care of my health? How come it has happened precisely to me and not to somebody else? My class mates are finishing their studies, some are already married. Some have been already promised a job. And here I am – my BA not finished, single, no job perspectives, no boy-friend perspectives. I’m doomed.«...