What does it mean to think?
People are thinking all the time when in work or even when idle. “What do you think?” “Let
me think about that”, “I don’t think so” are often used in our conversations. But, what does it
actually mean to think? Ever thought about that? Let us understand today this simple yet
profound concept of thinking.
Thinking in psychological terms means ‘A mental activity that goes on in the brain when a
person is processing information, organizing it, understanding it, and communicating it to
others.’ Thinking plays an important role in shaping/constructing a person’s life. It is observed
that people who think positively tend to experience positive or favorable situations in their life
and people who think negatively tend to experience negative or unfavorable situations in their
life. In order to experience positive thoughts we need to consciously avoid the negative
thoughts and consciously let in only the positive thoughts. For instance, a dog guarding a house
allows only the familiar people to get inside and restricts the entry of unfamiliar people at a
distance. Similarly, we should also take in maximum positive thoughts and restrict the negative
thoughts from entering the mind.
Positive thinking and its importance
Positive thinking is a word that we have heard many times, said many times and have also
advised others. Whenever someone is sad or depressed we advise them to think positively. It
is a word which we believe in, which we relate to and thus it has to be shaped because it leads
to creation. In psychological terms ‘Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude of
expecting good and favorable results, and not getting discouraged when plans do not proceed
as expected.’ It means trying over again and not accepting defeat. Having positive thoughts
even in tough times can help people envision positive things in future. A person who possesses
this attitude is happy and joyous, and does not let problems and negative people to affect the
mind, emotions and behavior. However excessive positive attitude can also be harmful.
Excessive positive attitude can prevent people from thinking objectively, neglecting the risks
and obstacles that come in life. Hence, it is very important to think critically and to equipoise
our thoughts.
The Past, Present and Future.
The thinking patterns of all the humans differ due to individuality and according to person’s
current situations. Some people tend to think a lot about past, dwelling continuously upon the
mistakes of the past, while others evaluate the mistakes and try to rectify them. On the other
hand many people are usually engaged in thoughts of future or the good events that they expect
in future. However, in the present it is very important to limit the regrets of past and the
expectations of future and thrive for stable thoughts to avoid end up being bewildered.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the mind works like a computer. The data input which is received
by seeing, hearing and watching is stored in our sub-conscious mind, assessed in the mind
which directs the body to act accordingly. Thoughts encompass an “aim-oriented flow of ideas
and associations that can lead to a reality-oriented conclusion”. So it is very important to
absorb good information to regulate good thoughts.
