About Me

I was a curious child and loved writing from an early age, and both things combined gave me the perfect excuse to study Journalism.

I did so in different countries: Spain, Denmark and the United Kingdom (by the way that is how I came to speak English as a second language, so I hope you'll forgive me for the possible grammar mistakes and please let me know about them!).

I was fortunate to study music and piano, which also made me develop a feeling for music.

Looking at my life as a child, you could say I had it easy - opportunities to study and travel, two parents and a brother, a nice flat and later a house to live in, friends, a dog, sufficient money to not struggle, no life-threatening illnesses... that's already more than what many people in this planet have.

And yet, despite looking like I had the perfect scenario to be fully happy, I was not.

I felt disconnected, alone, "strange" and "non-belonging" - from my stick-like figure to my impression that I was the only one around who felt like that, frequently unable to enjoy lightheartedly an afternoon with friends or family.

Something was always missing; the grass was always greener somewhere else.

I appeared a happy person on the outside, but anyone who knew me beyond knew as well that I experienced deep wells of loneliness, isolation, and despair.

Somehow I tended to lean towards feeling bad; somehow things were never good enough for me to feel happy with whatever it was already.

"Something is wrong with me", I kept on telling myself.

The first key

During the autumn of 2005 I came across a thin, fun-to-read book that turned out to be the key to unlock the door to new paths - actually, to a whole new life. The book was Joe Vitale's "Life's missing instruction manual".

I took notes from the book with curiosity and amazement. Many of the ideas made sense. Other advice appeared silly or "too good to be true" but I put the suggestions from the book into practice anyway, observing interesting results.

Very excited, I shared my findings with a good friend in Seville during a holiday on April 2006.

I had been playing around with some of Joe Vitale's ideas to 'manifest' a certain event during that holiday that involved external elements beyond my control.

Oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised when the event actually happened, and much more magically than I had imagined! It seemed the book was really the (good) life's missing instruction's manual.

So what is it that I discovered in that book?

I discovered that I am much more than just my mind. I discovered that "the enemy had always been at home", meaning I had lived my life over-identified with my mind and believing my thoughts - actually, ALL of my thoughts. A perfect recipe for crazyness!

How relieving it was to find out that my thoughts were not "me" and that I did not have to believe all the thoughts that passed through my mind.

I discovered that I could actually use my mind to make myself feel better, and even to achieve what I want in life - and my early proof of it was the event during that holiday.

Along came the concept of Positive Thinking, followed by new ideas for me like the use of affirmations, consciously expressing gratitude, or the power of our feelings.

I went on...

Joe Vitale's book made me see that a complete different reality than what I had always lived was possible.

As I progressed through my own personal development and felt better using certain techniques and tips, I kept on sharing my discoveries with people close to me, who also found those tips helpful for their own lives.

At the same time, I came across SBI!.

SBI! stands for Site Build It!, and it is a system with all the tools you need to create a web site. It is also a good way to earn an income writing about something you're passionate and know well. It has been the tool for some to quit their jobs and earn a living...

But I digress! Find out more about why I'm so enthusiastic about SBI! and details of this website's beginnings by following this link.

"The Benefits Of Positive Thinking" is born...

I used SBI! to put my tips to feel good on a website, and so I created "The Benefits Of Positive Thinking" (TBOPT).

It was all much easier than I thought. The very first thing I did was download and read the free manual, "Make Your Content Presell". This manual explains exactly how to write for the web to make your writings interesting. With this knowledge in hand, "The Benefits Of Positive Thinking" started to unfold.

I kept on reading about many other related topics, and explored the big question "Who am I?".

I came across great inspiring authors like Louise Hay, Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle and many others; I found some not-so-great books and web sites, with people talking about how to do things without having done them themselves...

I did mirror work and gratitude lists, I changed my habits, I repeated affirmations, I did visualization, meditation...

At points I had absorbed so much varied knowledge that I would wake up confused, not knowing whether first thing I should go sit and be grateful, or convince myself "I" was the center of it all, or on the contrary forget it all about myself and focus on serving everybody else, or keep repeating an affirmation to attract wealth, or rather look at life in detachment, or immerse myself in my suffering so as to understand it and "live real".

Huh? Too much for a Tuesday, 6 o'clock in the morning!

Gradually, though, it all started to make sense. I thought I was playing with one piece of each of many different puzzles, but all along they were just different techniques and ways to play with one puzzle: Life.

So this is what I offer to you on this web site: the condensed version of all that I have read and applied, cherry-picking what works and how to master certain aspects that I find essential to feel happy and at peace, like learning to deal with negative thoughts.

You don't need to go through the mental mess I went - get your nicely compiled version of positive thinking to make your life better on this site.

How has the journey with The Benefits Of Positive Thinking changed me?

In short... I discovered the path of knowing oneself. It leaves me in wonder, and with a profound humility towards creation from where I say "Life is amazing"!

In practical terms, I take life much more lightheartedly than I used to. In only a few years, I've stopped worrying so much about the future and learned to live in the present; I have stopped being angry for small things; I have "manifested" a few cool things and events in my life...

I have learned to observe and listen more and talk less; I now allow my intuition to speak to me more often and louder.

It all has helped develop the strong feeling that whatever else happens in my life from now on, and sad as I might be for whatever time, I will always go on and will soar to happiness all over again at some point, no matter what.

I feel no longer powerless and disconnected, but empowered with the knowledge that it all lies in myself. It is up to me. Love and connection with others, as well as peace and happiness, are always inside me and always available.

Take a step

Another way to put it, "Feel okay with whatever happens".

Keep on making your way, keep on creating what you may, and don't spend time being upset if things don't seem to go your way. Keep on breathing: your path unfolds, one step at a time.

I welcome you to The Benefits Of Positive Thinking, and wish that you go away today having found something useful, an affirmation or a quote or a tip or a book or a video or whatever else, that will make your life if just a tiny bit better from now on.

From my heart,

Cristina

P.S. If you're curious about how you could earn a living writing about something you are passionate about, follow this link to learn more about Site Build It!. May this be the beginning of your road to freedom.

>>>Follow the links below for updates on the journey with TBOPT

September 2007
September 2008
March 2009
April 2011
September 2011

Back From "About Me" To Home Page