“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” -- Norman Vincent Peale
Your mind is constantly filled with thoughts. Are you aware of what you are thinking about? Are your thoughts random or are they directed by you? Do you think about what you can do or what you can’t do? Are your thoughts positive or negative?
The only thing you have total control over is what you think about. Successful people think about their goals and how to accomplish them. When faced with problems, they think about solutions. Their minds are constantly thinking about where they are going and how to get there.
Your mind works 24 hours a day processing your thoughts. Although your mind doesn’t care whether your thoughts are positive or negative, the resulting impact on your life is striking. Your mind is a magnet that attracts whatever you think about. Positive thoughts attract positive situations and people, while negative thoughts attract just the opposite.
Your thoughts may be much more negative than you realize. You are influenced by your past experiences as well as by the people around you. It’s common to accept negative thinking as normal. Over the years, your thoughts may have become more negative than you realize. You accept your progressively negative thoughts as ordinary because this process happens so gradually.
Although your mood is directly affected by what you think about, you are rarely taught to direct, monitor, and be aware of your thoughts. Instead, you see all the wrong examples of people around you thinking negatively.
A change in thinking always precedes a change in results. In order to make any changes in your life, you must first alter what you think about. Before you can change your thoughts, you must first be aware of what they are.
Start making a conscious effort to monitor what you are thinking about. You want to establish a link between your thoughts and your mood. What are you thinking about when you feel good? What are you thinking about when you feel down?
Next, decide how you would like to feel and what goals you would like to attain. What do you need to think about in order to accomplish this? Now you are in a position to change your thoughts as needed.
Your thought patterns are well engrained. Persistent effort is required to change them. Don’t worry if at times you revert to your old negative ways of thinking. When you catch yourself regressing, immediately adjust your thoughts to get you back on track.
This system isn’t magic. It’s proven and time tested to work. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to readily get support because not enough people understand this process and how it works. However, you may receive a fair amount of criticism from those you share this with.
People become comfortable with their negative thinking and don’t believe there is any reason to change. Furthermore, they don’t recognize any cause and effect relationship between their thoughts and what is happening in their lives. It’s difficult, if not impossible to convince these people otherwise.
You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. All you need to do is apply this concept to your life and you will see results. Don’t get frustrated. Changing any habit takes time and effort. You control your life through your thoughts.
Get started today thinking about what you want to achieve rather than reasons you can’t do it. Your mind works on whatever you think about. Be vigilant to ensure your thoughts are positive. Keep at it in order to reach any destination you desire.
Bryan Golden is the author of “Dare to Live Without Limits.” Opinions expressed are those of the author. Contact him at Bryan@columnist.com or visit www.DareToLiveWithoutLimits.com.
