Thoughts and Ideas
Growing up, you don’t notice as everyone slowly changes. You yourself don’t observe yourself, and you don’t see the change in yourself either. You may not notice it with everyone, but people often drift apart. I’ve seen the change in myself and I would say I’m a completely different person than who I was. Everyone I know, without exception, has changed through education some end up better, and some end up worse.
Everything you learn, changes who you are. It’s not a dramatic change, but it’s a little snowflake at a time. Like a snowflake on a mountainside, it’s not much by itself, but with all the others it changes the landscape.
I’m not talking about everything you hear, this is things you accept. A fact. Things you take in you internalize, and it is these things that make up who you are, like snowfall.
You are building up your world with the things you internalize. This shapes your mind and focus, and patterns emerge. It’s these patterns that shape how you view the world, your paradigm. This also filters what you can learn and take in. Ideas that are not on the same frequency, pattern, cannot accord with you. Therefore, you cannot accept that thought into your soul, and you reject it, regardless of how true it really is.
Some ideas are very beneficial, some ideas are toxic to the soul.
Memories
While ideas make up the building blocks that shape your world, it’s your memories that shape who you are. We call this experience, and it comes in two forms. Reactionary and procedural. Reactionary is simply your body’s learned experiences giving feedback on the situation. Sometimes directly moving the body in some instances. Most of our memories are procedural or skills we put into practice. If your thoughts shape your mind’s landscape, your memories and experiences clothe your soul. Everything you have learned from learning to play with others, interacting with people, to resolving conflicts makes up who you are.
If you’re trying to resolve a problem in your life, you often have to peel back the memories and experiences in your life. Once you have peeled enough away, you can then alter how you should have remembered or reacted to a situation, correctly learn about it, and in doing so become a healthier person.
Actions
While memories and ideas build and shape who we are, these become our actions. So while true, the inverse is also true. You can perform actions that will change your ideas and experiences. It’s like an hourglass crystal that can magnify in both directions.
Everyone believes they are right and in the right. Even people who commit acts of murder and other horrendous crimes believe they are justified in doing so in some way or another. In either case, either their ideas and experiences have shaped who they are or their actions have shaped their thoughts, justifying their actions.
The inverse is also true, good actions will change your experiences and thoughts. I’ve seen charity change who people are, both inside and out. It doesn’t happen at once but through enough charity, you will forget toxic thoughts and experiences. You will heal what evils ill you.
Thus, through charity, you can not only heal yourself but change who you are positively. This is a very powerful virtue that benefits everyone, including the people who are receiving it. Positive experiences, as you’re aware, can really help and bless people. This is a positive cycle that makes the universe a better place.
Endgame
So trying to stay positive is a difficult thing. Be careful what you learn and who you associate with. Find a good cause, and this will help you focus and maintain a good outlook on everything. In turn, bringing good things into your life, bringing in good experiences.
Everyone has baggage. Charity is one of the best methods for healing yourself and others. Be charitable to anyone who needs it.
If the pattern isn’t clear already: Good brings in more good, and evil brings in more evil.