Inverse Paranoia

I encountered the concept of inverse paranoia in a truly inspiring book I read by Jack Canfield (co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul), and Janet Switzer. The book is called The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. It is a book I highly recommend if you are trying to get yourself motivated to make some life changes and need a new way to look at and think about things.

Mr. Canfield's earliest mentor, W. Clement Stone, had once been described as an inverse paranoid. Instead of believing that the world was out to get him, as a great many people tend to believe, Mr. Stone chose to believe that the world was out to do him good (no, not do him in good). He really believed that everyone wanted to do nice things for him, and acted accordingly. He expected great things to happen for him, and they did!

Imagine going through your life believing that great things were always about to happen to you! Remember that great feeling you had as a kid when you were anticipating your birthday, or Christmas, or maybe a trip to an amusement park? You were excited! You felt alive and you could hardly wait to see what was in store! Somewhere along the way in growing up, we become much more serious and "responsible" and forget what it's like to wake up each day and wonder what wonderful things the universe has in store for us that day.

I've always been a very serious adult, but more and more I'm seeing that being serious all of the time hasn't given me the life I want for myself. Being a serious and responsible adult has its place, of course, but it can be taken to the extreme, and it makes for a very dull and lacklustre life. I've been trying out this concept of "inverse paranoia" for myself, and I can honestly tell you that I am much happier for it. No, everything I want in life has not just been handed to me because I'm happier now, but more and more opportunities are presenting themselves that would not have had I been walking around being ultra serious with a sour expression on my face.

I've often read that you draw into your life that which you spend most of your time thinking about. If that's true, why not direct your energies into thinking and believing in the best of all possibilities? Certainly "bad things" will still occasionally happen-no human being on earth is immune from that-but by and large, your days just might be much happier all around, and you may find that you will bounce back from those occasional "bad things" much more quickly. Your brain will go to work looking for opportunities to make your dreams happen instead of looking for any and every reason to confirm your belief that life is hard and is a trial to be endured. If, for some reason, inverse paranoia doesn't work out for you, what have you lost? A few days being unhappy? Give it a whirl!