FOCUS ON YOUR INNER DIALOGUE

Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good.

Calvin Coolidge

The dictionary meaning of the word ‘repress’ is ‘bring under control by force’, ‘try not to have or show a thought or feeling’, ‘trying to keep your feelings or desires hidden’. We cannot make any progress by repressing our feelings or actions which we want to do out of our natural instinct. If we attempt to repress either our own feelings or the feelings of others, it will amount to manipulation. Such a change cannot last long.

On the other hand, we should focus our efforts in developing what is good. We have to choose to do what is good and not be compelled not to do what we should not do. Stephen Covey says that between fight and flight, human beings have the freedom to choose what is good. We should educate ourselves on what is good for us and focus on it.

Instead of saying, ‘I don’t want to be lazy’, say ‘I want to be active’; instead of saying, ‘I don’t want to overeat’, say ‘I want to eat right’; instead of saying ‘I don’t want to smoke’, say ‘I want to quit smoking for good’. This inner dialogue will give us the mental stamina to focus on what we choose. The more we repress ourselves, the more we will feel the tension and stress.

Over this weekend, list all the things which you have been repressing and see whether you can focus your attention to develop what is good.
N C Sridharan