When most of my private coaching clients initially contact me, I don’t hear much positive self-talk coming from them. Yes, every so often there is the outlier who is riding high on the laurels of a recent success and wants to maintain that momentum, but for the most part, I start out with people who are generally “tearful and fearful” when it comes to looking at their circumstance. Sometimes it’s justified, often times it’s overblown. In all cases, what is needed is a major interrupt of thinking patterns and reframing of issues. Here’s why…
Positive thinking can add so much to your life – and now we know that positive thinking can actually add years to your life.[1] When you think positive, you get rid of stress[2] and tend to live a healthier life and make better choices. If you’re naturally a negative thinker, in a previous blog post I’ve identified some ways you can change that thinking and get on the path to a life-changing way of thinking.
If you really want to begin to think positively and change your life for the better, consider the following ideas and start thinking about ways you can incorporate these into your own lifestyle:
Positive thinking can add so much to your life – and now we know that positive thinking can actually add years to your life.[1] When you think positive, you get rid of stress[2] and tend to live a healthier life and make better choices. If you’re naturally a negative thinker, in a previous blog post I’ve identified some ways you can change that thinking and get on the path to a life-changing way of thinking.
If you really want to begin to think positively and change your life for the better, consider the following ideas and start thinking about ways you can incorporate these into your own lifestyle:
Be responsible for your thoughts. No one can tell you what to think or controls how you react to your thinking. When you begin to take responsibility for your thoughts, you’ll face the reality of what they’re doing to or for you and be more able to change those negative thoughts.
Plan to think positively. So many of our thoughts come from the subconscious mind. When you plan to think positively, you won’t be as apt to take what you’re thinking as reality. Instead, you have the time and opportunity to think it over and come to the conclusion that reflects the reality of the situation.
Avoid negative people. There’s an old adage that says, “If you lie down with dogs, you’ll come up with fleas.” Negative people can ruin your best laid plans to think positively. They can feed the fire of self-doubt and anxiety. It can sometimes be classified as a crowd-mentality, so don’t fall prey to it. Think for yourself.
Write down your thoughts. It’s helpful if you can see at the end of the day what your thoughts have been. For awhile, take the time to write them down. You’ll see what went wrong with your thoughts and be able to improve them.
Consider the repercussions. For example, if you have a deadline for an assignment and it becomes clear that you’re not going to meet it, consider what might happen. If you finish it on time, it won’t be as good as you wanted. If you take more time, it may cause other problems. Also, consider solutions. For example, you could ask for an extension to the deadline.
Minimize catastrophic thinking. Tony Robbins talks about the necessity of “seeing things as they are, but not worse than they are.” Rather than thinking the worst about a situation, try to minimize it and lower your anxiety level by being practical about it. If you’re susceptible to those thoughts, avoid situations (such as television news) that might cause you anxious thinking.
Live in the present moment. When you spend too much time trying to guess or analyze the future, you’ll convince yourself of failure – especially if you’ve failed in the past. If you think you’ll fail, you probably will.
Accept the reality that you can control your thoughts. You’ll become more empowered to face stressful situations in your life and to change the way you think. It will become easier to maintain a positive attitude the more you practice thinking positively.
So, there’s my seven suggestions to help you begin to think more positively and change your life for the better.
Plan to think positively. So many of our thoughts come from the subconscious mind. When you plan to think positively, you won’t be as apt to take what you’re thinking as reality. Instead, you have the time and opportunity to think it over and come to the conclusion that reflects the reality of the situation.
Avoid negative people. There’s an old adage that says, “If you lie down with dogs, you’ll come up with fleas.” Negative people can ruin your best laid plans to think positively. They can feed the fire of self-doubt and anxiety. It can sometimes be classified as a crowd-mentality, so don’t fall prey to it. Think for yourself.
Write down your thoughts. It’s helpful if you can see at the end of the day what your thoughts have been. For awhile, take the time to write them down. You’ll see what went wrong with your thoughts and be able to improve them.
Consider the repercussions. For example, if you have a deadline for an assignment and it becomes clear that you’re not going to meet it, consider what might happen. If you finish it on time, it won’t be as good as you wanted. If you take more time, it may cause other problems. Also, consider solutions. For example, you could ask for an extension to the deadline.
Minimize catastrophic thinking. Tony Robbins talks about the necessity of “seeing things as they are, but not worse than they are.” Rather than thinking the worst about a situation, try to minimize it and lower your anxiety level by being practical about it. If you’re susceptible to those thoughts, avoid situations (such as television news) that might cause you anxious thinking.
Live in the present moment. When you spend too much time trying to guess or analyze the future, you’ll convince yourself of failure – especially if you’ve failed in the past. If you think you’ll fail, you probably will.
Accept the reality that you can control your thoughts. You’ll become more empowered to face stressful situations in your life and to change the way you think. It will become easier to maintain a positive attitude the more you practice thinking positively.
So, there’s my seven suggestions to help you begin to think more positively and change your life for the better.
To help you work though this and provide a bit more detail to your plans, I’d like to offer you my FREE seven day e-course. It's called "G.E.T.--Grow, Expand, Thrive" and it is all about identifying and overcoming limiting beliefs and visioning your ideal future. There’s nothing more empowering than coming to the realization that you can have, do, and be anything you want! The problem for most people is they don’t believe it is possible for them. Find out for yourself!
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Thanks for appreciating the value of this content. You’re welcome to reproduce this article, but you must reproduce it in its entirety and leave all the links active. Additionally, here is the short bio that you should include:
Dr. Steve Stutz, CC is a Life Success Coach, specializing in helping clergy and professional church workers not only survive but to thrive during periods of crisis, transition, and renewal. To receive periodic personal development tips and success mindset articles, please join his e-list by visiting www.forwardpathcoaching.com
[1] http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/Articles/Having-a-Positive-Attitude-Can-Add-Years-to-Your-Life.aspx
[2] http://www.primroseretirement.com/senior-living/?p=2951
Click the icon to get signed up for the course.
My new Facebook site is now up! Please visit. I’d appreciate your “Like!” and if you sign up for my e-list from Facebook, I’ll send you my latest time management suggestions.
Want to use this article on your website or your own Ezine?
Thanks for appreciating the value of this content. You’re welcome to reproduce this article, but you must reproduce it in its entirety and leave all the links active. Additionally, here is the short bio that you should include:
Dr. Steve Stutz, CC is a Life Success Coach, specializing in helping clergy and professional church workers not only survive but to thrive during periods of crisis, transition, and renewal. To receive periodic personal development tips and success mindset articles, please join his e-list by visiting www.forwardpathcoaching.com
[1] http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/Articles/Having-a-Positive-Attitude-Can-Add-Years-to-Your-Life.aspx
[2] http://www.primroseretirement.com/senior-living/?p=2951
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