“As a man thinketh in his heart, so shall he be.”
-James Allen
One of my initial thoughts when starting SHE Is A Verb was to create a blog that would inspire women to take more empowering and thoughtful actions to move forward in the direction of a fulfilled life.
To do that I created a Facebook page, connected an Instagram account, and joined Twitter to share tips, picture quotes, challenges, and highlighted ordinary women achieving extraordinary things. However, there’s a universal secret to living a fulfilled life. You are what you think. Not what you were expecting? Nevertheless, many of the greatest minds of our time agree that thoughts are the building blocks of our life experiences. Simply put, the quality of our thoughts reflects the quality of our life.
The truth is, creating a better narrative to your story changes your perspective on life. But first you need to know who you think you are and your super-powers. Your thoughts are the driving force behind why you feel and act the way you do. Once you understand the link between those three, you can start living the life you want in the way you want it.
Below, you’ll find three life-altering tips. Incorporate them into your day to help you change negative thought patterns to positive ones. Let’s jump right in.
Recognize Faulty Thought Patterns
Most of our thoughts tend to be more on the negative side. These faulty thought patterns can lead to anxiety and depression.
The author James Allen said, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so shall he be.” So, why are you letting your negative thoughts dictate how you live your life?
Here are some of the more common negative patterns of thought many of us suffer from. Get a pen and paper and write down which of them you most relate to. Once you’ve identified them, your challenge is to transform them from the negative to the positive.
- Minimizing achievements, yet maximizing simple errors
- Expecting the worst outcome
- All-or-nothing binary thinking
- Filtering out positive statements and focusing only on the negative
Foster Happy Habits
When you do something repeatedly, it becomes a habit. The more you do it, the more likely you’ll keep doing it in the future.
Thought patterns are the same way. The more you think in a certain way, the more you’ll likely keep thinking about it the same way repeatedly. This cycle repeats itself until you realize you’re not living the life you want for yourself. You can’t even recognize who you are anymore. Thoughts Lyrics rings true here, “All I think about is everything I’m not, instead of everything I got.”
It’s then that you should decide to make a change. Recondition yourself by recognizing negative thought patterns and how they affect your emotions. As with most things, reconditioning your thoughts takes time. Brace yourself for a bumpy ride.
However, once you understand the link between your thoughts, emotions, and behavior you’ll be able to regain control and live the happy life you deserve.
Get To Know Yourself
Your individual personality affects every aspect of your life. That’s why one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get to know your personality style and your triggers. When you appreciate your strengths alongside your weaknesses you will better understand yourself and your actions. Plus, knowing your weaknesses gives you a clear understanding of things that may be holding you back.
If you’re interested in taking a personality assessment, I am a Maxwell Method of DISC Consultant. The unique benefit of our assessment is that you will receive a 30-page report focusing on your unique behavior pattern. Grab your assessment TODAY. It’s a great way to see first-hand how thoughts influence behavior and maximize intentional living.
Now, it’s time for a little challenge. I CHALLENGE YOU to become more conscious of your thoughts, both the good and the bad. Work on rewriting your narrative, thinking happy and positive thoughts. For every negative thought you have about yourself or someone else, speak 3 positives statements. It will be difficult at first, but a fulfilled life will be the reward. And your tomorrow self will thank you!
