Positive Thinking Institute - Day 5

RudeDawg · 07-11-2002, 12:07 PM

Today is our fifth day on the journey. I've restarted my 7-day mental diet twice now, [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] but I can be proud that I have not posted negatives.

I failed to name a subject yesterday, so today will be a surprise.

Day Five - GIGO

GIGO is an old programming philosophy, that seems to be skipped today. The acronym stands for Garbage In, Garbage Out. If a program was put together poorly, or if the data entered was faulty, the results would be faulty. Programmers were taught to 1) eliminate mistakes in the actual program instructions, and to 2) minimize the possibility of bad data being entered.

Today's software is riddled with bugs, and it seems that many users have gotten used to it. There was a time, when software developers took pride in their work, and bugs were few and far between.

The idea of GIGO can be directly applied to our life, and our thought process.

1) We are responsible for the programming of our minds. This whole project is to decide to be positive. To look at everything as a learning experience, and as another chance to be a positive influence on our world. The decide on what reactions we have to external stimuli. we decide what to ignore, and what to dwell on. We decide.
GIGO

2) We are responsible for the data entering our minds. In this thread (great topic, BTW, Avi! [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img] ), Saz mentions people sitting in front of the TV and zoning out for several hours. Some studies have shown the average US citizen watching between 6 to 14 hours a day of TV. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] That's more time than most people spend at work, and at sleep.

Can anyone argue that this time spent is without influence? If your child, or you, spend that much time with anything or anyone you can't help but be influenced by it. That's fine, but ask yourself, Are the characters on TV the type of people you want to live with? Because they are the ones training you, and the folks around you.

It's not just TV, but music, books, and, yes, the Internet. None of these are inherently bad, but they are influences on us. We get to decide WHAT type of TV shows, music, books, and Internet sites we frequent.

The IWG Forums are very different than a site promoting pornography. They each attract their own audience, and would each influence us differently.

These influences affect they way we act. If we watch sarcastic characters every night, we start to believe that sarcasm is not just accepted, but expected of us. We look for opportunities to put someone, or someone's ideas, down. We can't wait to use that zinger we saw last night. When feelings get hurt, we don't understand why.

GIGO You will be what you put into your mind. Like food, there are healthy choices, and junk. Feed you mind with positive ideas, and YOU will be positive.

Thank you for your time, and your patience. I love reading your reactions.

As always, Comments, flames, and applause welcome. [img]graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Tomorrow: Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty See you here! [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img]

Madman-Rogovich · 07-11-2002, 12:13 PM

real good thread man nice one!

i so agree with you i also think its important to keep your mind tidy and you forget much less, there was a time when i felt lik my head was a complete mess so i cleaned it i justtook time out and decided that i was sick of being so disorganised so out went the garbage in my head and to this day i too try to fil my head with the positive the interesting and the gnarly

Loumistro · 07-11-2002, 12:15 PM

Good for you Rudedawg maybe I should start trying that I think I will but I am not that negitive when it comes to the board but I am negitive towards other people.

Ya I am going to try it starting right now.

Now this is 7-days right. Well I will see how I do.

Charean · 07-11-2002, 12:40 PM

So now this is an INSTITUTE? Does that mean we are institutionalized? [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

I have heard this many times and many ways - and do my best to be careful what I watched on TV (when I had one) and where I go on the Net. I am 98% polite to strangers I encounter in my dealings with the public (there is about 2% honestly, when either they or I had a bad day). I do try to make others smile when possible because it makes ME feel good. So what goes in DOES come out in how you deal with others.

I could take this a step further. Look at those you don't like (for whatever reason) and figure out why. Is that something within you that you don't like as well? I have found this to be true for me. When I get irritated by someone, usually it is something inside me that I haven't corrected yet.

When I am nice to someone and they are nice back, it reinforces the idea that I am a nice person in my subconscious... and that becomes more solid the more I act that way. It becomes habit. Like any other habit. Keep doing it and it sticks.

Good stuff, Rudy!

RudeDawg · 07-12-2002, 04:16 PM

Day 6: Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty

Several years ago, (over 10) I started noticing this message on bumper-stickers everywhere. I don't know who started the idea, but it is a great one. [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img]

A while back, one of our board members started a thread about this. (Our search feature is disabled, or I would have found it for a link)

This idea is wonderful. Think about how you feel when someone is kind to you. Then, think about how good you feel when you do something good for others. So, with every act of kindness, you brighten two people's day.

By repeating this constantly, you can build up your happiness, while helping others.

The other day, I had a grocery-cart full of stuff. A lady walked up behind me, with a bunch of bananas. I offered to let her in front of me. She was shocked, and mentioned that no-one else would have done that. She left, smiling.

I felt great, knowing that I made her smile. I also felt disturbed, with her comment that "no-one else" would have done that. So, I encourage everyone to continue trying to change the world, one person at a time.

Thank you for your time, and attention.

Loumistro · 07-12-2002, 04:25 PM

Well I am doing pretty good but I just started this day will be easy I am staying the night in a church.

dizzy · 07-12-2002, 06:18 PM

i ve been looking for this thread. ahhh sweet =enlightenment

Lioness · 07-12-2002, 07:45 PM

Practice Random Senseless Acts

And great thread as always, Rudey. [img]smile.gif[/img] Specially Random Acts of Kindness...so many people forget these little parts of their life...

[ 07-12-2002, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Lioness ]

Azred · 07-13-2002, 12:36 AM

I perform small acts of kindness on almost a daily basis, but I never think about them. Consequently, I don't necessarily "feel good" for having done them; I just do them.

I cannot decide whether this is, or is not, a good thing. I am always remided by the story of two monks who arrive at a stream where a woman is waiting to cross. The older monk carries the lady across, then some time later the younger monk finally gathers the courage to ask the older monk "Why did you carry that woman? We are forbidden to touch women." The older monk replies "I left her at the stream. Why are you still carrying her?"

I am not too proud to admit that I can be uncertain at times. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img]

07-11-2002, 12:07 PM	#1
RudeDawg 20th Level Warrior Join Date: April 9, 2001 Location: Dallas, Tx, USA Age: 55 Posts: 2,830	Today is our fifth day on the journey. I've restarted my 7-day mental diet twice now, [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] but I can be proud that I have not posted negatives. I failed to name a subject yesterday, so today will be a surprise. Day Five - GIGO GIGO is an old programming philosophy, that seems to be skipped today. The acronym stands for Garbage In, Garbage Out. If a program was put together poorly, or if the data entered was faulty, the results would be faulty. Programmers were taught to 1) eliminate mistakes in the actual program instructions, and to 2) minimize the possibility of bad data being entered. Today's software is riddled with bugs, and it seems that many users have gotten used to it. There was a time, when software developers took pride in their work, and bugs were few and far between. The idea of GIGO can be directly applied to our life, and our thought process. 1) We are responsible for the programming of our minds. This whole project is to decide to be positive. To look at everything as a learning experience, and as another chance to be a positive influence on our world. The decide on what reactions we have to external stimuli. we decide what to ignore, and what to dwell on. We decide. GIGO 2) We are responsible for the data entering our minds. In this thread (great topic, BTW, Avi! [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img] ), Saz mentions people sitting in front of the TV and zoning out for several hours. Some studies have shown the average US citizen watching between 6 to 14 hours a day of TV. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] That's more time than most people spend at work, and at sleep. Can anyone argue that this time spent is without influence? If your child, or you, spend that much time with anything or anyone you can't help but be influenced by it. That's fine, but ask yourself, Are the characters on TV the type of people you want to live with? Because they are the ones training you, and the folks around you. It's not just TV, but music, books, and, yes, the Internet. None of these are inherently bad, but they are influences on us. We get to decide WHAT type of TV shows, music, books, and Internet sites we frequent. The IWG Forums are very different than a site promoting pornography. They each attract their own audience, and would each influence us differently. These influences affect they way we act. If we watch sarcastic characters every night, we start to believe that sarcasm is not just accepted, but expected of us. We look for opportunities to put someone, or someone's ideas, down. We can't wait to use that zinger we saw last night. When feelings get hurt, we don't understand why. GIGO You will be what you put into your mind. Like food, there are healthy choices, and junk. Feed you mind with positive ideas, and YOU will be positive. Thank you for your time, and your patience. I love reading your reactions. As always, Comments, flames, and applause welcome. [img]graemlins/cool.gif[/img] Tomorrow: Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty See you here! [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img] __________________ [img]\"http://home.earthlink.net/~rudedawg/images/perin14.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br />The RudeDawg, known in these Forgotten Realms as Perin LightEyes<br /><br />Think Different. Keeper of the Bunnies of Total Self Confidence <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[bunny]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/bunny.gif\" />

07-11-2002, 12:13 PM	#2
Madman-Rogovich Lord Soth Join Date: October 23, 2001 Location: Edinburgh Age: 38 Posts: 1,918	real good thread man nice one! i so agree with you i also think its important to keep your mind tidy and you forget much less, there was a time when i felt lik my head was a complete mess so i cleaned it i justtook time out and decided that i was sick of being so disorganised so out went the garbage in my head and to this day i too try to fil my head with the positive the interesting and the gnarly __________________ One room, one axe, one outcome.

07-11-2002, 12:15 PM	#3
Loumistro Drizzt Do'Urden Join Date: May 25, 2001 Location: Monticello, IL, USA Age: 37 Posts: 630	Good for you Rudedawg maybe I should start trying that I think I will but I am not that negitive when it comes to the board but I am negitive towards other people. Ya I am going to try it starting right now. Now this is 7-days right. Well I will see how I do. __________________ In Choas We Find Life

07-11-2002, 12:40 PM	#4
Charean Hathor Join Date: March 6, 2001 Location: Waxahachie, TX Age: 60 Posts: 2,201	So now this is an INSTITUTE? Does that mean we are institutionalized? [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] I have heard this many times and many ways - and do my best to be careful what I watched on TV (when I had one) and where I go on the Net. I am 98% polite to strangers I encounter in my dealings with the public (there is about 2% honestly, when either they or I had a bad day). I do try to make others smile when possible because it makes ME feel good. So what goes in DOES come out in how you deal with others. I could take this a step further. Look at those you don't like (for whatever reason) and figure out why. Is that something within you that you don't like as well? I have found this to be true for me. When I get irritated by someone, usually it is something inside me that I haven't corrected yet. When I am nice to someone and they are nice back, it reinforces the idea that I am a nice person in my subconscious... and that becomes more solid the more I act that way. It becomes habit. Like any other habit. Keep doing it and it sticks. Good stuff, Rudy! __________________ And then there were 6.

07-12-2002, 04:16 PM	#5
RudeDawg 20th Level Warrior Join Date: April 9, 2001 Location: Dallas, Tx, USA Age: 55 Posts: 2,830	Day 6: Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty Several years ago, (over 10) I started noticing this message on bumper-stickers everywhere. I don't know who started the idea, but it is a great one. [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img] A while back, one of our board members started a thread about this. (Our search feature is disabled, or I would have found it for a link) This idea is wonderful. Think about how you feel when someone is kind to you. Then, think about how good you feel when you do something good for others. So, with every act of kindness, you brighten two people's day. By repeating this constantly, you can build up your happiness, while helping others. The other day, I had a grocery-cart full of stuff. A lady walked up behind me, with a bunch of bananas. I offered to let her in front of me. She was shocked, and mentioned that no-one else would have done that. She left, smiling. I felt great, knowing that I made her smile. I also felt disturbed, with her comment that "no-one else" would have done that. So, I encourage everyone to continue trying to change the world, one person at a time. Thank you for your time, and attention. __________________ [img]\"http://home.earthlink.net/~rudedawg/images/perin14.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br />The RudeDawg, known in these Forgotten Realms as Perin LightEyes<br /><br />Think Different. Keeper of the Bunnies of Total Self Confidence <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[bunny]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/bunny.gif\" />

07-12-2002, 04:25 PM	#6
Loumistro Drizzt Do'Urden Join Date: May 25, 2001 Location: Monticello, IL, USA Age: 37 Posts: 630	Well I am doing pretty good but I just started this day will be easy I am staying the night in a church.

07-12-2002, 06:18 PM	#7
dizzy Mephistopheles Join Date: January 18, 2002 Location: Baumholder Germany Age: 39 Posts: 1,434	i ve been looking for this thread. ahhh sweet =enlightenment __________________ An Army of fun. <br /><br />\"The worst thing about being in Germany in the Army is having to wakeup everyday\" <img border=\"0\" title=\"\" alt=\"[Wink]\" src=\"wink.gif\" />

07-12-2002, 07:45 PM	#8
Lioness Jack Burton Join Date: June 3, 2001 Location: Among the Stars Age: 36 Posts: 5,837	Practice Random Senseless Acts And great thread as always, Rudey. [img]smile.gif[/img] Specially Random Acts of Kindness...so many people forget these little parts of their life... [ 07-12-2002, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Lioness ] __________________ [img]\"ubb/noncgi/smiles/lioness1.jpg\" alt=\" - \" /> <br /><br />Premier Waitress/Smacker of Cloudy\'s Cafe<br /><br />\"the only people for me are the mad ones...\"

07-13-2002, 12:36 AM	#9
Azred Drow Priestess Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: a hidden sanctorum high above the metroplex Age: 54 Posts: 4,037	I perform small acts of kindness on almost a daily basis, but I never think about them. Consequently, I don't necessarily "feel good" for having done them; I just do them. I cannot decide whether this is, or is not, a good thing. I am always remided by the story of two monks who arrive at a stream where a woman is waiting to cross. The older monk carries the lady across, then some time later the younger monk finally gathers the courage to ask the older monk "Why did you carry that woman? We are forbidden to touch women." The older monk replies "I left her at the stream. Why are you still carrying her?" I am not too proud to admit that I can be uncertain at times. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] __________________ Everything may be explained by a conspiracy theory. All conspiracy theories are true. No matter how thinly you slice it, it's still bologna.

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