Choosing Thoughts That Generate Higher Vibrations

Devotional by Durrell Watkins

“By paying attention to the way you feel, and then choosing thoughts that feel the very best, you are managing your own vibration, which means you are controlling your own point of attraction -- which means you are creating your own reality.” – Abraham-Hicks

It makes so much sense, doesn’t it? Why do we need an “enlightened” soul or collection of souls to point out the obvious?

If I remember the story correctly, when asked if she was happy, Katharine Hepburn answered, “I open a box of chocolate turtles and then I’m happy. Once I notice they’re all gone, I’m sad. Then I get a new box, and I’m happy again.” It really does work that way. When I think of a funny story, I laugh. When I think of someone in pain, I become sad. When I think of some wonderful possibility, I feel hopeful. The thought that I hold produces a feeling. If I sustain happy thoughts that continually produce happy feelings, I can consider myself for that period of time a happy person. If I habitually think thoughts of fear or defeat or regret, I will find myself in a state of on-going depression.

When I’m happy, I believe in myself and I notice opportunities and I respond enthusiastically to them. When I’m not happy, I may fail to notice opportunities or I may hesitate to make the effort that would lead to success and achievement. The thought generates the feeling that leads to the action that produces a result.

And so the Buddha taught, “The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit, and habit hardens in character...As the shadow follows the body, so as we think, we become.” No wonder Jesus said half a millennium later, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14.27). Fear thoughts lead to negative emotions which can keep us from making the most of life.

When we train ourselves to use positive affirmations we aren’t dabbling in something that’s odd or bizarre. We are just correcting negative thoughts by replacing them with words and thoughts of optimism and joyful expectation. Eventually, our thought habits are more hopeful and will lead to more consistently helpful actions which of course shape our experience of life. Choosing positive speech is helping us think more constructively, which is helping us feel better, which is allowing us to make wiser choices that will result in our Good.

If we ever find ourselves feeling “down,” we can elevate that feeling by choosing thoughts that feel better, and then our energy picks up and we find ourselves back on the path to accomplishment (which of course feels good and will lead to even higher vibrations, etc.). Our thoughts produce the feelings that contribute to how we experience life. We can call this practical process “New Thought,” or “Magic,” or Word of Faith,” or “Positive Thinking,” or anything else. I just call it common sense. Good thoughts produce good feelings which make life more enjoyable.

The good news is, we can control our thoughts. So, this week, let’s be careful to not let our hearts be troubled or afraid, and we may discover that we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12.2)!

(c) Durrell Watkins, 2007


"It only takes 16 seconds of focused thought to begin a manifestation." - Lynn Grabhorn