accurately the Maker
planned it all.

Do not associate with pessimists. If you are unfortunate enough to be
the son or daughter, husband or wife of one, put cotton (either real or
spiritual) in your ears, and shut out the poison words of
discouragement and despondency.

No tie of blood or law should compel you to listen to what means
discomfort and disaster to you.

Get out and away, into the society of optimistic people.

Before you go, insist on saying cheerful, hopeful and bright things,
sowing the seed, as it were, in the mental ground behind you. But do
not sit down to see it grow.

Never feel that it is your duty to stay closely and continuously in the
atmosphere of the despondent.

You might as well think it your duty to stay in deep water with one who
would not make the least effort to swim.

Get on shore and throw out a life-line, but do not remain and be
dragged under.

If you find any one determined to talk failure and sickness and
misfortune and disaster, walk away.

You would not permit the dearest person on earth to administer slow
poison to you if you knew it. Then why think it your duty to take
mental potions which paralyze your courage and kill your ambition?

Despondency is one phase of immorality. It is blasphemous and an
insult to the Creator.

You are justified in avoiding the people who send you from their
presence with less hope and force and strength to cope with life's
problems than when you met them.

Do what you can to change their current of thought. But do not
associate intimately with them until they have learned to keep
silent--at least, if they cannot speak hopefully.

Learn how to walk, how to poise your body, how to breathe, how to hold
your head, how to focus your mind on things of universal importance.
Believe your tender, loving thoughts and wishes for good to all
humanity have power to help the struggling souls of earth to rise to
higher and better conditions. No matter how limited your sphere of
action may seem to you and how small your town appears on the map, if
you develop your mental and spiritual forces through _love thoughts_
you can be a power to move the world along. Rise up and realize your
strength. Not only will you be more useful and happy, but you will
grow more beautiful and keep your youth.

Opulence

Do not go through the world talking poverty and asking every one you
deal with to show you special consideration because you are "poo