Are Problems Created By The Mind?

[Mary]

In the video "How you distort reality", Leo said to imagine your biggest problem and try to understand that it's a total fabrication of the mind.

I tried to do it with my problem. I couldn't do it. Could you do it? Can you tell me about it? And how did you do it?

[Isle of View]

It really depends on how you define problem.

We have a problem and then the worries that are connected to problems.

A problem actually arises when something that you are wanting to achieve is blocked or made impossible. There is your reach towards something and something that or someone who is opposing your reach. 

For example: you want to become a pilot and your father says no. Or you don't have the needed education to make your wish come true.

If you have desires, you will always have problems. Problems are obstacles. How you feel about them is entirely coming from your mind, how you look at the obstacles, what emotions arise etc.

Very often it is enough to change the way you look at problems to make them less a problem.

Sometimes you realize that what you desire is a pipe dream or no longer desireable for you and a whole chain of problems just blows away.

If you face a problem or feel bad about a problem ask yourself what is the underlying goal or intention that I am pursuing that makes this problem appear so big to me.

Be aware of your desires, goals and intentions. Write a journal.

 

Kind regards, 
Chris

 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Isle of View

[ICSounds]

I actually could not think of a major problem while watching that video, but I have done this multiple times with problems that I've had. I won't get into those problems but I like to think of a story that I made up one time related to this.

A guy is walking along happily down a street and he keeps walking until he stubs his toe on a rock that was lying on the street from this he feels a lot of pain as this is a pretty big rock. After that he gets mad, picks up the rock and tosses it and proceeds to be mad the whole day. When he was later asked why he was so mad he blamed the rock for his anger saying the rock made him angry. Another man is walking along and also stubs his toe but this man just keeps on walking happily. Both men stubbed their toe but one got angry and the other did not, the situation didn't change but the way the situation was seen did change.

When a ruler dies many people may become sad and depressed while others may rejoice, again the situation did not change just the way the situation was seen.

Finally, I can think of a child going to bed that thinks there is a monster under the bed. The child will build barriers all around themselves to protect themselves from the monster even though you (as an adult or observer) know there is no monster in reality, but the child will insist that there is a monster and continue building barriers, if you look at your problem honestly you will find that it is just a monster under the bed, it does not exist in reality.

If you feel like stating your problem, maybe I could give you a suggestion on how it doesn't exist in reality. Also I've been reading psycho-cybernetics recently and it basically covers this problem as well. Just remember that the problem is not really the problem, the problem is how you see the problem.

 

[Mary]

@ICSounds Well, I study mechanical engineering and I just finished my bachelor degree. In order to start master, I have to take a comprehensive exam next week. This exam is taken only once a year and I have to get a good grade to be accepted in a good university. So now I am so anxious about this exam cause if I don't get a desirable result, I'll lose a whole year. And I just don't want to lose another year. 

 

And also it's just that my classmates have either already started master or got admission from foreign universities to study master next year. I don't wanna be the only one left. This has put a lot of pressure on me. I don't how can I face my classmates if I don't get a good result in this exam. I even have thought about never talking to them if my results wouldn't be good enough. When I think about the situation, it just makes me feel so embarrassed that I just wanna go under a blanket and hide myself from everyone I know.

Well, that's my problem.

Just to add, Since I live in a 3rd world country, my goal is to get an admission to study PhD abroad (US, Canada, Europe) and then stay in that country. You can see why I don't wanna lose another year...

Edited April 28, 2016 by Mary

[Ajax]

1 hour ago, Mary said:

In the video "How you distort reality", Leo said to imagine your biggest problem and try to understand that it's a total fabrication of the mind.

I tried to do it with my problem. I couldn't do it. Could you do it? Can you tell me about it? And how did you do it?

 That is totally true, the reason that you can't do it is because you believe one or more things about the situation that are not true. When you believe in something that is false, your misunderstanding and misconceptions cause you pain. 

Consider this, you are not the only one who had your problem, there are many others that not only solved it but conquered it but... but you with your limited experiences, viewpoints and considerations are a slave to it because you are so stuck in the middle of it that you can not see alternative paths that are readily available.

Take me for instant, my wife recently got pregnant with another man... such a thing would spiral most people into a state of anger, confusion, pain and even wrath... however the second I found out I smiled, kissed my wife on the cheek and told her that it was over. The next day, I booked a plane ticket and went back home to live near my parents. I realized that I needed to make some changes in my life. I took Leo's life course and finished it under a week. I was fortunate enough to easily find my life purpose and have been fervently working on it consistently... and I feel so much more peace, happiness and liberation than I have ever ever done. 

I even have been speaking to my wife lately and advising her and comforting her when she feels down.. This has all happened in this month of April, 2016 BTW...

Therefore I know you are encountering problems@Mary because you are suffering from a distorted reality.

***Edit*** I see that you wrote something while I was making a post so I am adding this bit, Mary... Well the truth is that it is an assumption if you lose a year. If you fail, then that is an opportunity to gain an extra year of experience if you think about it like that. If you work extremely hard then you would definitely have an advantage the following year. What is a  year?  It is nothing in the big picture of thing... it is your impulsiveness and impatience that is causing you distress... a distortion a false reality.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Ajax
To add more info

[ICSounds]

Quote

@ICSounds Well, I study mechanical engineering and I just finished my bachelor degree. In order to start master, I have to take a comprehensive exam next week. This exam is taken only once a year and I have to get a good grade to be accepted in a good university. So now I am so anxious about this exam cause if I don't get a desirable result, I'll lose a whole year. And I just don't want to lose another year. 

 

And also it's just that my classmates have either already started master or got admission from foreign universities to study master next year. I don't wanna be the only one left. This has put a lot of pressure on me. I don't how can I face my classmates if I don't get a good result in this exam. I even have thought about never talking to them if my results wouldn't be good enough. 

First of all, I really think that you should keep talking to your friends no matter the outcome of the exam. Chances are that they will be quite supportive of you whether you do well or not and if they are mean to you then you should consider whether they are really a friend (I somehow doubt this will happen though). If you don't do well on the test you could reframe the situation as an opportunity to explore other things during this year you have away from academics. You could use it as a chance to work on personal development, start looking around for work you may enjoy doing, travel, etc. 

An interesting concept that I learned from Darren Hardy is that the mind has 2 parts, the thinker and the prover. Whatever the thinker thinks the prover will prove. In this case you probably have a set standard ingrained into you of what you think you can accomplish. Because you have this standard your mind will try to prove that this is the standard that you will achieve. If you feel like you can achieve something better than these standards the prover part of your brain will cause distractions to slow you down. If you feel like you're falling behind then the mind will make you stress and you will become much more focused. I think these thoughts are either the prover realizing that you can achieve more than your standard and just tossing distractions at you as speed bumps. Just realize that these thoughts are just distractions from your goals.

And remember, pass or fail you will move on, you will have good times and bad times and don't confuse your thoughts with reality.

[cetus]

1 hour ago, Mary said:

In the video "How you distort reality", Leo said to imagine your biggest problem and try to understand that it's a total fabrication of the mind.

I tried to do it with my problem. I couldn't do it. Could you do it? Can you tell me about it? And how did you do it?

 You say you studied for a year. That's a lot of knowledge stored up. See that on it's own merit. Don't let mind override that knowledge with a lot of imagined doubts and the knowledge will be freed to flow out on it's own. Step back from your situation and take a new look from the outside. Now ask yourself calmly, is there all the knowledge that is needed? Is anything missing? Is there any area that could get a second look? Again, just calmly look over the whole situation in a detached way and you will do just fine.

[WelcometoReality]

1 hour ago, Mary said:

@ICSounds Well, I study mechanical engineering and I just finished my bachelor degree. In order to start master, I have to take a comprehensive exam next week. This exam is taken only once a year and I have to get a good grade to be accepted in a good university. So now I am so anxious about this exam cause if I don't get a desirable result, I'll lose a whole year. And I just don't want to lose another year. 

 

And also it's just that my classmates have either already started master or got admission from foreign universities to study master next year. I don't wanna be the only one left. This has put a lot of pressure on me. I don't how can I face my classmates if I don't get a good result in this exam. I even have thought about never talking to them if my results wouldn't be good enough. When I think about the situation, it just makes me feel so embarrassed that I just wanna go under a blanket and hide myself from everyone I know.

Well, that's my problem.

Just to add, Since I live in a 3rd world country, my goal is to get an admission to study PhD abroad (US, Canada, Europe) and then stay in that country. You can see why I don't wanna lose another year...

You are making assumptions on the future.

Remove all plans you've made for your future life. Is there then any problems of you failing the test?