Success, many believe comes from the secret, the Law of Attraction. The theory states that all things are attracted by the thoughts of a person. People think about what they want, believe they can get it, and then they will receive. The theory is depicted in the film The Secret, written by Rhonda Byrne. In the documentary, various authors, physicists, a visionary, and others give their interpretations on the Law of Attraction. From their statements, they all believe events are the result of the mind attracting the event. The main point in which all the speakers agree is that good thoughts attract good things and vice versa (The Secret). While this theory has some true elements, the Law of Attraction takes the power of thought to the extreme.
Power of positive thinking is a true element of the Law of Attraction. Thoughts control emotions (The Secret). Thoughts focused on good things produce happy emotions, while thoughts focused on negative things produce depressing or angry emotions. When I start to focus on all of the areas in my life that need improvement and what I am doing wrong, I feel frustrated and miserable. When the doubts start coming, I start to list all of the blessings in my life and my spirit perks up as I focus on the blessings. Emotions result from positive and negative thoughts. These thoughts have an impact on circumstances.
The mind changes circumstances in life to a point. Aspects of identity can change by where thoughts are focused (Latterell 11-13). Life does not magically change by just thinking about change, but focusing on the change can motivate a plan for change. By knowing goals and focusing on the goals, a plan to earn the goal is made. The Law of Attraction comes when taking action where the mind is focused. I have thought about many of my flaws, and how I want to change them, but that does not magically make them better. When I start to focus on how I can change my flaws and take action, change happens. Thoughts and taking action can change parts of the identity. The Law of Attraction only affects oneself, but cannot change external circumstances. Thinking positive thoughts will not stop problems from appearing in life, but will change a person’s view of the situation.
Focusing purely on the good will not stop a car accident, but will allow the good from the accident to be shown. The movie stated that a person attracts the car accident (The Secret). Many people in the world believe in karma from past lives attracting circumstances in their life. There are as many who believe souls are not reincarnated, but move on after death. I follow the latter of the two beliefs. Not all people attract bad into their life, but people can have the power to grow and see the positive out of situations. My cousin hydroplaned into a tree and died on impact. He was an amazing kid, an inspiration to many. There is no way he attracted the car accident, and there is no way his family attracted his death. It was his time to die. The Law of Attraction work in that I could see the positive result of his death. One specific positive outcome of the death was gaining peace in knowing God has a plan for my life and others. Those with negative thoughts will only see the death, while those with positive thoughts will see the good.
Saying that every situation is attracted through thoughts is saying that every person who has been affected by a natural disaster, murdered, or raped asked for it with their thoughts. Some may say some deserved the tragedy, but there is no way every single one attracted the situation. People who take and deal drugs, for example, attract the danger to them. People brought up in poverty did not attract the poverty but inherited it by being born into poverty (Laterell 5-8). Some set goals and take action to change the life given from birth. People are born into their families and are affected by the families’ actions. I was lucky enough to be born into a wise and loving family. Because of them, I am who I am today (Laterell 5-13). My absolute love of God comes from the testimony my parents lived through their lives. The decisions I make come from the life lessons they taught. I did not attract my family, but am blessed by them. People attract some circumstances, but most come from external forces that a person cannot control.
Did America attract 9/11, hurricane Katrina, and other disasters? Those who focus on the bad see the loss America has taken from catastrophes, but those who focus on the good see the growth of the American people during and after the disasters. The people who focus on the positives take action to help America get better and further add good to the aftermath. America becomes one nation helping each other when disaster strikes; many giving of themselves to help. Division comes when people are only focusing on themselves. External tragedies do not come from the Law of Attraction, but thoughts can impact the after effects.
The Law of Attraction can produce success, but the film portrays the theory to the extreme. The success comes from thoughts controlling the reactions of circumstances, not controlling the events.
Work Cited
Latterell, Catherine G. "Identity." ReMix Reading + Composing Culture. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 5-13. Print.
The Secret. By Rhonda Byrne. Perf. Bob Proctor, Joe Vitale, and John Assaraf. Prime Time Productions, 2006. DVD.
Power of positive thinking is a true element of the Law of Attraction. Thoughts control emotions (The Secret). Thoughts focused on good things produce happy emotions, while thoughts focused on negative things produce depressing or angry emotions. When I start to focus on all of the areas in my life that need improvement and what I am doing wrong, I feel frustrated and miserable. When the doubts start coming, I start to list all of the blessings in my life and my spirit perks up as I focus on the blessings. Emotions result from positive and negative thoughts. These thoughts have an impact on circumstances.
The mind changes circumstances in life to a point. Aspects of identity can change by where thoughts are focused (Latterell 11-13). Life does not magically change by just thinking about change, but focusing on the change can motivate a plan for change. By knowing goals and focusing on the goals, a plan to earn the goal is made. The Law of Attraction comes when taking action where the mind is focused. I have thought about many of my flaws, and how I want to change them, but that does not magically make them better. When I start to focus on how I can change my flaws and take action, change happens. Thoughts and taking action can change parts of the identity. The Law of Attraction only affects oneself, but cannot change external circumstances. Thinking positive thoughts will not stop problems from appearing in life, but will change a person’s view of the situation.
Focusing purely on the good will not stop a car accident, but will allow the good from the accident to be shown. The movie stated that a person attracts the car accident (The Secret). Many people in the world believe in karma from past lives attracting circumstances in their life. There are as many who believe souls are not reincarnated, but move on after death. I follow the latter of the two beliefs. Not all people attract bad into their life, but people can have the power to grow and see the positive out of situations. My cousin hydroplaned into a tree and died on impact. He was an amazing kid, an inspiration to many. There is no way he attracted the car accident, and there is no way his family attracted his death. It was his time to die. The Law of Attraction work in that I could see the positive result of his death. One specific positive outcome of the death was gaining peace in knowing God has a plan for my life and others. Those with negative thoughts will only see the death, while those with positive thoughts will see the good.
Saying that every situation is attracted through thoughts is saying that every person who has been affected by a natural disaster, murdered, or raped asked for it with their thoughts. Some may say some deserved the tragedy, but there is no way every single one attracted the situation. People who take and deal drugs, for example, attract the danger to them. People brought up in poverty did not attract the poverty but inherited it by being born into poverty (Laterell 5-8). Some set goals and take action to change the life given from birth. People are born into their families and are affected by the families’ actions. I was lucky enough to be born into a wise and loving family. Because of them, I am who I am today (Laterell 5-13). My absolute love of God comes from the testimony my parents lived through their lives. The decisions I make come from the life lessons they taught. I did not attract my family, but am blessed by them. People attract some circumstances, but most come from external forces that a person cannot control.
Did America attract 9/11, hurricane Katrina, and other disasters? Those who focus on the bad see the loss America has taken from catastrophes, but those who focus on the good see the growth of the American people during and after the disasters. The people who focus on the positives take action to help America get better and further add good to the aftermath. America becomes one nation helping each other when disaster strikes; many giving of themselves to help. Division comes when people are only focusing on themselves. External tragedies do not come from the Law of Attraction, but thoughts can impact the after effects.
The Law of Attraction can produce success, but the film portrays the theory to the extreme. The success comes from thoughts controlling the reactions of circumstances, not controlling the events.
Work Cited
Latterell, Catherine G. "Identity." ReMix Reading + Composing Culture. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 5-13. Print.
The Secret. By Rhonda Byrne. Perf. Bob Proctor, Joe Vitale, and John Assaraf. Prime Time Productions, 2006. DVD.