We are only 3-weeks into 2014 and I need both hands to count how many people I have heard saying that they feel tired, stressed, overwhelmed and feel like it is November already and they need another holiday! This got me thinking… When I asked them how they were and they responded this way, I only had to hear their response once, but how many times a day did they repeat those words to others and unconsciously imprint negative thoughts and feelings in their mind. Quite scary, isn’t it?
Let’s reprogram ourselves and take Key Steps this week to ensure that we constantly question…
Is what you are thinking about something you want to bring about?
1. Examine your thoughts. Stop (for just a minute) a couple of times a day and check what you’ve been thinking. At first, you’ll probably be horrified to discover that the conversations in your head are often nothing more than useless worrying, negative berating, grumbling, criticism, scepticism and so on. That’s okay, it happens to all of us and the good news is that it is possible to change your thinking; because you and you alone choose your thoughts. In knowing this, lies your greatest power and greatest responsibility.
2. Change your thinking. The first way to change your thinking is as simple as it sounds… just stop it! As soon as you catch yourself thinking something negative or pointless, literally stop the thought in its tracks. Don’t entertain it for another nanosecond. Beware, your mind is a bit like a naughty child so this process is going to take discipline and determination. I often think of it like weeding a garden, it needs to be done regularly and it is a lifetime commitment. Fortunately, it gets easier and easier the more you do it and it will soon become a way of life. Keep in mind that I am not suggesting that you don’t acknowledge when you have problems, problems will always come up – you can’t choose not to have problems or set-backs but you can choose how you think about them and whether you remain optimistic enough to take Key Steps …
