Thought Offer

You can’t force someone to think a thought. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve tried to “make” my kids think that their responsibilities are fun. I’ve tried to convince my husband that going on a family camping trip is totally worth all the work we have to put in up front. But, at the end of the day, my kids usually don’t love practicing piano or completing assignments and my husband doesn’t latch onto the idea of camping with even as close to the amount of enthusiasm as I do.  I get bummed about it. I think if I could just get them to think the way I do then we’d all be happier. Mind control is not one of my superpowers. 

But, I do have something powerful I like to do instead. It’s called a thought offer.

thought offer

noun

• a thought offered as an act of love 

Verb

• To propose or put forward for consideration a thought that one considers to be uplifting and/or helpful

A thought offer can be made to anyone at any time but should always be offered in love and without expectation that it will be accepted by the person it is being offered to. It is powerful for the offerer because it allows him or her to show up authentically and share what is meaningful to him or her. It may or may not be powerful for the intended recipient but in the end, that is irrelevant for the thought offerer whose happiness depends solely on him or herself. 

When I make a thought offer I see it as a beautiful gift. I understand it’s value and I am okay if the person I am offering it to doesn’t. Maybe someday they will. Maybe they won’t. It’s inconsequential. The thought will continue to produce joy for me if I chose to keep thinking it.