Which mind-viruses are pro-biotic?

Those who we spend much time with often determine which paths we take in life. Our environment "programs" the way we think. 

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(Pro-biotic = benefitting life)  Ok, it stunned me one day, to understand what “programming” we get from our culture, our family, particularly our parents, and the people around us. 

​I guess the reason it was so astonishing was that my ego-self thought I had decided who I would be.  We do that, you know.  It’s just how the ego works.  

On the one hand, we feel so sure that we are the one making our own decisions.  It feels so good to be in charge of ourself.  On the other hand, it’s downright scary, because we’re so unsure that we’re making the right decisions, that we are really capable, and that we are as significant as we want to feel.  

And then to find out that our upbringing by the folks that love us the most and our culture have actually shaped our thinking, our reactions, our interests, our lives.  Many of the decisions and thoughts we believe to be ours emanated from others.  

Here we thought we just happened to agree with certain people.  Or disagree with other people.  As I said, astonishing!

Our “programming” spans the continuum from great to not-so-great, and everything in between.

Wayne Dyer used the phrase, “mind virus” to describe these memes.  What on earth is a meme? 

​Meme is an element of a culture, or system of behavior passed from one individual to another (by parents, peers, media)  by imitation or other non-genetic means  (from the Greek word mimeme, to imitate).  

So what Wayne Dyer called "mind viruses" are beliefs, memes, that we got from others and that we pass on to others.

Now you have a starting point to begin anew, to design your life. You do get to choose what you will think. You get  to create your life through your choices, every moment, to stay positive, even when surrounded by negativity. 

You can choose to be grateful when you feel as if you have nothing for which to be grateful. You can look at your beliefs and change your outlook, your understanding of the world, and your world will begin to change. 

And guess what?  Your beliefs truly are contagious.  As your energy sends your positive happy beliefs out to others, the other folks can ‘catch’ ‘em.  

    “No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for 'we' are the only thinkers in our mind. When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we will find it in our lives.”    ~ Louise L. Hay