Stoicism, PMA, and The Law of Attraction

You probably hear about a lot of the Law of Attraction here or there and might be wondering what it is, does it work? How come it works for some people and not for you?

For the few people that the Law of Attraction works for, it’s because they either knowingly or unknowingly use a bit of Stoicism and a Positive Mental Attitude mindset. With that in mind, a positive mindset leads to a natural positive outcome. For example, when faced with a difficult situation, an open-minded person would look for the silver lining, while a negative-minded person would only see the downside.

The power of the mind and its ability to shape our lives is central to the concepts of stoicism, positive mental attitude (PMA), and the law of attraction. As a result of each of these approaches, we aim to develop a positive mindset and control our thoughts and emotions to achieve our desired goals. Despite their apparent differences, all of them promote the idea that our thoughts and attitudes have a profound impact on our lives. Throughout this blog, we’ll explore these concepts in more detail and examine their connections. It is possible to create an empowered, positive mindset and make meaningful changes in our lives by understanding and applying these approaches.

Stoicism: The Philosophy of Resilience and Self-Control

The Stoic philosophy emphasizes the development of self-control, rationality, and resilience in adversity. A number of Stoic philosophers (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca the Younger, Epictetus, Cato the Younger, Zeno of Citium – founder of Stoicism), Cleanthes, and Hecato of Rhodes) were very influential. The goal of Stoicism is to achieve inner peace and tranquility by recognizing what is within our control and what is not. In Stoicism, people believe that they can control how they react to external events, but not the events themselves. Being more resilient and less impacted by external circumstances requires focusing on our thoughts and emotions.

It is one of the most famous Stoic practices to visualize the worst-case scenario and prepare ourselves mentally for it. In this way, we become more accepting of unfavorable outcomes and less dependent on external outcomes. When we focus on what we can control, our anxiety can be reduced and we will feel more in control of our lives. Negative visualization helps us to become more aware of our mortality and how fragile life is. Instead of worrying about the future and clinging to what we cannot control, we can appreciate the present moment. Additionally, it can improve our resilience to adversity by helping us develop more realistic expectations.

The concept of negative visualization dates back thousands of years and was used by philosophers like Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca.

Positive Mental Attitude (PMA): The Power of Positive Thinking

As a concept, a positive mental attitude (PMA) emerged in the 20th century and gained popularity in the self-help movement. PMA refers to the idea that by focusing on positive thoughts and attitudes, we can achieve our goals and improve our outcomes. Those who approach life with the right mindset will attract wonderful experiences and people.

The concept of a positive mental attitude gained popularity in 1937 with the publication of Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich. The book discusses the importance of positive thinking as a principle of success, especially in business.

PMA is often associated with affirmations, visualization, and positive self-talk. By repeating positive statements to ourselves and imagining our desired outcomes, we can shift our mindset and attract beneficial experiences. Our thoughts and attitudes create a magnetic force that attracts things and desires.

The concept of positive affirmations originated in ancient eastern religions. Affirmations are words or phrases that evoke a positive state of mind, such as “I am strong and beautiful”.

The Law of Attraction: The Power of Manifestation

As a metaphysical concept, the law of attraction says that like attracts like. In accordance with this law, thoughts and emotions have a vibrational frequency that attracts thoughts and emotions of a similar frequency. The idea is that with positive thoughts and emotions, we can manifest our desires into reality. A powerful concept, the law of attraction is based on the belief that we can manifest our realities through focused thoughts and emotions. Creating a vibrational frequency that is characterized by abundance and joy can be achieved by engaging in positive thinking.

Positive affirmations, gratitude, and visualization are often associated with the law of attraction. In order to align our vibration with what we desire, we should visualize our desired outcomes, express gratitude for what we have, and repeat positive affirmations. In general, it is believed that the universe responds to our vibration and sends us experiences that match our frequency.

Prentice Mulford was the first person to articulate the law of attraction as a general principle. He discusses the law at length in his essay “The Law of Success”, published in 1886-1887.

The Relationship between Stoicism, PMA, and the Law of Attraction

In spite of their differences, these three concepts have some things in common. All three of them emphasize that our thoughts and attitudes significantly influence our outcomes. Each of them emphasizes the importance of focusing on what we can control and letting go of what we cannot. Furthermore, they motivate us to change our mindsets and attitudes in order to improve our lives. Each concept encourages us to become aware of our thoughts and emotions and to focus on the present moment. Every single one of them emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for our lives and understanding that our attitudes and beliefs can profoundly affect the outcomes of our lives. As an added bonus, each concept suggests that rather than simply reacting to circumstances, you should take action to create the life you want.

One of the key differences between Stoicism and other approaches to adversity is the emphasis on acceptance and resilience. A difference between PMA and the law of attraction is that they emphasize positive thinking and manifestation. Having a Stoic approach can help us prepare for negative outcomes and put our attention on the things we can control. In contrast, PMA and the law of attraction encourage us to think positively and to attract positive outcomes into our lives. In Stoicism, acceptance of what we cannot change is emphasized, and taking actions that we can control is encouraged. According to PMA and the law of attraction, we should focus our thoughts on what we want and try to manifest them.

As a result, Stoicism, a positive mental attitude, and the law of attraction are all valuable concepts for self-improvement. Though their approaches may differ, they both believe we can shape our lives through the power of our minds. Keeping our thoughts and attitudes in check helps us become resilient, positive, and open to the experiences we desire. As a result of these ancient truths about manifestation and magical thinking, we continue to be inspired to create a better life for ourselves and others. As evidenced by ancient philosophies and teachings across the globe, this idea has existed for centuries. This concept is based on the notion that thought creates reality – that what we concentrate on and think about creates our reality. It is our thoughts and emotions that contain the power and energy that can help us manifest the outcomes we desire when we use them deliberately and consistently.

What are your experiences using The Law of Attraction in conjunction with Stoicism and Positive Mental Attitude (PMA)?

We’d love to hear about your experiences so that others can learn from them as well!

Cheers,

Jay Pacheco