It’s all too easy to listen to that negative chatter that we hear in our minds. You know, that voice that fills you with doubt or fear, saying “You can’t do that,” or “You don’t deserve that,” or “What are you thinking??? That’s nuts!”
Indeed, despite so many inspirational stories, quotes, and examples of people following their dreams, finding success, overcoming obstacles and fears, it’s still so easy to lapse into that place where we want to hide, to play small, to be safe. Even when we know we want to change and have a more positive outlook that nagging voice of negativity can come in loud and clear, keeping us stuck in place.
How do we overcome that? How do we make it easier to choose the positive? Here are just a few very simple, yet effective, techniques you can use every day to help you choose the positive path.
- Remember you have a choice. Every subject, thought, belief, decision or action is really two parts: the negative and the positive. Take money for example – most of us desire to be abundant, to have more money. But, instead of being focused on having more, we focus on the lack of money in our lives. We can’t get to the place of having more if we keep focusing on lack. Next time you have a thought, imagine it as a fork in the road – two choices, two paths. Which one will you go down? The path of negative or lack, or the path of positive or abundance? Really visualize this – in your mind’s eye put light around the positive path and darkness around the negative path if it helps make the choice even clearer.
- Make a firm decision and reaffirm it. Instead of letting that negative voice take control, decide here and now that YOU are in control – that you are the deliberate creator of your thoughts, your beliefs, and your life. This may seem like an easy momentary concept, but difficult to implement consistently. To help reinforce your decision, remind yourself by beginning your sentences with, “I’ve decided that…” For example, “I’ve decided that I want to feel better about myself.” Or, “I’ve decided that I believe in myself and my ability to achieve whatever I set my mind to.” First, make the decision; next, reaffirm it using this simple phrase.
- Bridge the gap. If the positive thought, choice or decision seems out of reach, use another simple phrase to gain momentum in propelling you to your desired place: “I’m in the process of…” This gets you moving in the direction you want to go and it can feel more manageable. “I’m in the process of becoming the person I want to be.” Or, “I’m in the process of learning to choose positive thoughts about myself.” Again, this is such a basic concept, but it can have a prevailing impact on helping us embrace our wildest dreams and finding our voice for them.
The words we use and the thoughts we have about ourselves have real power. They can be deeply ingrained and difficult to shift. But, if we become more aware that we really do have a choice and we use these simple techniques, we can begin the process of training ourselves to take back control and to reach those goals and dreams that each of us so desire.