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Two thoughts cannot be in one place

Two thoughts cannot be in one place

"The Secret Garden" on replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.

Samantha Hedges, PhD's avatar
Samantha Hedges, PhD
Aug 01, 2024
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Two thoughts cannot be in one place
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"Where you tend a rose, my lad,
A thistle cannot grow."

Illustration by yours truly.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about what the classic works of literature, Heidi and the Secret Garden, have to say about childhood and what children need to thrive, namely: copious amounts of time outdoors roaming free and exploring.

The Secret Garden also conveys how negative thoughts deteriorate the body. Public health literature points to chronic stress as a predictor of terminal illnesses such as heart disease. These studies typically examine individuals living in poverty, crime ridden neighborhoods, and other high-stress environments. But deteriorating environments are not the only predictors of how inputs affect ones physical health. How one interprets their circumstances, whether rich or poor, can also lead to a decline in mental, thus physical health.

As with the two characters in the Secret Garden, described below, even the most privileged of children can suffer from physical health declines due to their mental attitude. Mary and Colin were provided all of the luxuries their worlds could offer, yet because they were cast aside as infirmed, or unfixable, negative thoughts consumed them.

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