"On Thinking For Yourself"

I spend a lot of time thinking. Allow me to extol the virtues of thinking...for yourself. 

As one raised in an environment where self-thought was not particularly promoted, I know the difference. No one told me what to think. However, the parameters of any given subject were sensed and felt. I knew what thoughts were acceptable. Over time I adopted them as my own. I enjoyed the approval that came with it--and a place where I fit. 

I maintain people do this all the time, young or old, in all varieties of circles--religious, the classroom, political, social, familial. Sometimes it just seems easier to either be told what to think or accept the current narrative. Thought that differs from the norm may be viewed as controversial, so it is often avoided..

"What do YOU think?" was the impetus of a new adventure for me. In the beginning, thinking for myself was not an easy thing. All kinds of thoughts ricocheted around in my mind before I settled down to a conscious assessment. Even now, when approaching a situation or a problem, I often start with "What DO I think?".

Thinking is different from worry. Worry is negative and non-productive. Talk about going in circles!  Worry will do that to you every time.  

Thinking is elemental. The process of thought is what makes humans different from animals.   It is the basis of decision-making, opinion, belief, conviction, or an action.  It may be a simple assessment of facts, or it may include one's emotions, past history, and experiences. It is productive, often culminating in a conclusion.

No one else in the world thinks as I do. My thoughts are mine and mine alone, as are yours.  They are as individual and unique as my DNA. They are personal and private and become privy to others only if the choice is made to share them. 

We have all been given the capacity for thought. Don't squander it. Don't waste it on garbage. And--most importantly--don't turn control of it over to another. Use it wisely.