We’re fast coming to accept that people are what they think. In other words, you actually have a lot more power than formerly supposed to shape your life along the lines you want it to go. Sounds simple enough? But like so many profound truths, it actually takes considerable effort.
The best place to start is by getting the right positive mindset. How?
#1 Write it down
Begin with a plan. The hard part about this is that you need to revert to good old fashioned handwriting. That’s right. Scrap the keyboard and get back to basics. If you want to transform your mindset, you need a starting point. And the best way to find that is to list all the good and positive aspects of your life, quietly, deliberately and with real pen and paper.
These could be a wonderful family, terrific friends, a top job, your home, your car, your education, your partner – in fact anything or anyone that is a part of your life that makes you happy and fills you with joy.
Write it all down and odds are you’ll be delighted with just how many happy things are already part of who you are.
You can actually use this list to counter any negative or self defeating thoughts at any time. Keep it with you and whip it out for a quick read when the going gets tough. Spending a few amounts focusing calmly on each of those great positive points on your list will have you back on top in no time.
#2 Change the bad bits
To make positive thinking a natural and instinctive reaction you may need to change some thinking habits. You know what they say, don’t you? To expect a different outcome from the same-old, same-old is a sign of madness?
So, get ready to sweep out the old and bring in the new. Consider some of the negative attitudes or thoughts that you have about yourself and select one that you really want to change. Find a strong replacement thought.
Then every time that negative thought pops into your mind, make the effort to banish it and replace it with the new positive model. As the experts say: ‘Positive and negative cannot cohabitate in your mind, it is up to you to push the negative out with the positive’.
#3 Use positive affirmations
Using positive self-affirmations can boost your self-confidence and self-esteem to levels you may not yet appreciate. At first you mightn’t notice the imperceptible changes taking place each time you repeat those positive little affirmations.
You’ll find plenty of reference to affirmations on the Internet. Choose what suits you best – and stick with it! But make sure you use them as regularly as your brush your teeth – or even more often – and you and those close to you will soon see the difference.
#4 Visualise your outcomes
This is an absolute humdinger. We know people who have made themselves a visualization board using images of places they wanted to be in later life. And hey presto – when they unearth it some fifteen or twenty years later, guess what? They’ve made it!
Here’s how one expert trainer describes visualization: ‘You know what you want. You know where you want to be next year, in five years, or in ten years. Then visualize it!
Imagination is a wonderful tool that humans have but few ever utilize it to its full potential. Get a mental picture of where you want to be, what you want to accomplish, or any other change for the better that you are wishing for. See yourself in that place doing what you want to do really feel how it will feel to be doing it.
From now on, when you have a minute, re-call that picture back up into your mind and meditate on it. Each time you imagine your success your energy and determination to work toward that goal will be supercharged providing you with the motivation to take action.’
We would rather go the extra step and take the time to collect pictures and make a collage so that you can actually look back and see how far you’ve come.
#5 Encourage encouragement
Everyone needs friends. And most people are influenced by those friends and colleagues that they spend a lot of time with, far more than they realize.
So, it’s smart to ensure that the people you buddy up with are like minded people – positive individuals who share many of the objectives that you’ve set yourself. It’s always a good plan to seek out some who have already achieved similar goals to yours so you can benefit by sharing their mental approach and attitude.
You also need a few people that you know you can trust with your dreams and goals. These are friends who will motivate, encourage you and hold you accountable for reaching those goals.
But remember that this works both ways. Don’t get so caught up in your “me-stuff’ that you forget to be a source of optimism for the dreams and goals that your friends have.
Be encouraging to others as they strive toward their goals. When you’re the friend that they can trust to share their aspirations, it will all come back to you, many, many times over.
#6 Celebrate the small wins
Even the biggest successes come in small stages. Celebrate every little achievement no matter how small. Even if you celebrate by yourself, celebrate! These small celebrations are extraordinarily motivational. Recognition of being one step closer to your goal gives you the momentum to take that next step and progress even further.