The Secret And A.A. Milne

Another one of Time's 100 Most Influential People is the author of the book The Secret. Haven't read it, don't plan to. But in Slate's Human Guinea Pig, Emily Yoffe explains what happens when she tries to live her life according to its precepts. To get there, she has to explain a bit of its history and philosophy.

It sounds, to me, like an awfully dreamy, silly, and not nearly as fun compilation of ideas which closely resembles The Tao of Pooh. Only, Pooh doesn't make you do stupid things like talk about how wonderful it is that the things you want in life have already come into existence, when they quite clearly haven't. Plus, Pooh would say that it's silly to spend all your time wanting a new floor, when how does that help you get more honey? But anyhow, the point is much the same; if you don't worry about how you're going to do the things you think you need to do, but instead just focus on living your life, somehow those things tend to take care of themselves.

Personally, I like TTOP's philosophy. But I don't think that you have to appeal to a higher power or any supernatural sort of explanation. My theory is that, if you have yourself in the mindset of the present, and appreciating what is going on around you, then you are able to accept the circumstances of your life much more easily. If you have a specific, 'this is what is supposed to happen' sort of plan, then any deviation from it is stressful. If, on the other hand, you have an attitude of 'I might like for this to happen, but if it doesn't, it's not such a big deal either', then you will almost always end up finding out that whatever happens is fine, and can be easily adapted to and lived with.

Certain Licia's I know will almost certainly argue that I do not do a very good job of living up to this standard, and I can't really argue. But I do try to do so when I can, and like to think that I'm getting better at it as I get a little older.