Stop Sinking, Change Your Way of Thinking
Posted by Becky Waters at 6/14/2008 12:30 PM and is filed under Attitude,Affirmations,negativity,positive thinking,Thoughts 
June 14 - This Week's Quote:
“Stop sinking, change your way of thinking.” – Amy Langer Schwartz
Do you generally have a sense of happiness and well-being as you go about your day?
If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’re caught up in the Negativity Trap – and you may not even realize it.
We have 60,000 thoughts that go through our mind each day. Most of these are subconscious. This is good news and bad news.
It’s good because if they were all in our conscious mind we would definitely be overwhelmed 24/7 and would not get anything done!
The bad news is that, yes, they ARE unconscious. And most of them are the same thoughts we had yesterday, last week, or last year!
The other not-so-good-news is that a good majority of these thoughts – conscious and unconscious – are negative put-downs directed at our own self. And they go through our mind so automatically, that we sometimes don’t even realize we’re thinking them.
Have you ever noticed yourself saying things like:
- I’m too old
- I’m such a klutz
- That was a stupid thing to say
- I can’t do that because….
- I’m ugly, or fat, or too thin, or…..
And these statements usually come riding in on a wave of emotions that can range anywhere from light sarcasm to utter disgust.
Just think what this is doing to our self-esteem! Not to mention our attitudes!
Truth is, our words have power. And when we put emotion behind them, that’s like giving them a turbo charge.
Statements like the examples I gave are “affirmations” – declarations that something is true.
- What are you affirming is true about yourself?
- Do these statements make you feel good, or not so good?
- What are the results you’re experiencing in your life because of these statements?
It’s important to remember that with every word we think or say, we are “affirming” and creating our life experiences. So working to rid ourselves of negative thinking and limiting beliefs is critical to living a fulfilling life and to having a healthy sense of well-being.
So, if you know or suspect that you’re caught up in a Negativity Trap, what can you do?
1. Become aware of your self-talk. When you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative or limiting about yourself, write it down. Start keeping a log of your internal dialogue and notice the corresponding feelings that accompany it.
2. Turn those negative, limiting statements into positive affirmations.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when creating and working with affirmations:
- Keep them in the present tense - as if they are already true. "I am" or “I have” are good ways to begin.
- Avoid the word "not" and its variations. For instance, "I am not fat" or even "I am no longer fat" keeps the focus on "fat". "I am healthy and trim" would be a better choice.
- Be frugal with the wording. You're not writing a treatise here. If one affirmation fills up more than half of a 3x5 index card, go back to the drawing board. Short and to the point is best.
- Put some emotion behind them. Feelings turbo charge our words giving them even more power. When you state your affirmation, dive in and really feel how wonderful it is that your statement is, indeed true.
- Turn them into a song. This not only makes them easier to remember, it also makes them more fun! Here’s an example sung to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell” – “I’m healthy, fit, and trim. I’m healthy, fit, and trim. I love my body now. I’m healthy, fit, and trim.” (from “13 Affirmation Songs on Melodies You already Know” – get your copy free when you join my mailing list at www.SpiritualCoachingCenter.com)
Remember, the bulk of our internal dialogue is made up of the 60,000 habitual thoughts that run through our subconscious and conscious mind. Changing these habitual thoughts is the same as changing any kind of habit. It takes conscious daily practice doing the "new" until the new becomes the habit – usually about 25-30 days. And just like doing anything new, it’s probably going to feel uncomfortable at first. But your diligence and stick-to-it-iveness will pay off in the long run.
Here are just a few benefits of working with positive affirmations and getting out of the Negativity Trap:
- less stress
- more energy and vitality
- increased confidence and self-esteem
- improved ability in whatever area you’re working on
- greater sense of happiness and well-being
You have control of your thoughts and attitudes. Sugar Ray Robinson, American Boxer once said, “I’ve always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.”
Which way will YOU choose to think?
“Stop sinking, change your way of thinking.” – Amy Langer Schwartz
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Do you generally have a sense of happiness and well-being as you go about your day?
If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’re caught up in the Negativity Trap – and you may not even realize it.
We have 60,000 thoughts that go through our mind each day. Most of these are subconscious. This is good news and bad news.
It’s good because if they were all in our conscious mind we would definitely be overwhelmed 24/7 and would not get anything done!
The bad news is that, yes, they ARE unconscious. And most of them are the same thoughts we had yesterday, last week, or last year!
The other not-so-good-news is that a good majority of these thoughts – conscious and unconscious – are negative put-downs directed at our own self. And they go through our mind so automatically, that we sometimes don’t even realize we’re thinking them.
Have you ever noticed yourself saying things like:
- I’m too old
- I’m such a klutz
- That was a stupid thing to say
- I can’t do that because….
- I’m ugly, or fat, or too thin, or…..
And these statements usually come riding in on a wave of emotions that can range anywhere from light sarcasm to utter disgust.
Just think what this is doing to our self-esteem! Not to mention our attitudes!
Truth is, our words have power. And when we put emotion behind them, that’s like giving them a turbo charge.
Statements like the examples I gave are “affirmations” – declarations that something is true.
- What are you affirming is true about yourself?
- Do these statements make you feel good, or not so good?
- What are the results you’re experiencing in your life because of these statements?
It’s important to remember that with every word we think or say, we are “affirming” and creating our life experiences. So working to rid ourselves of negative thinking and limiting beliefs is critical to living a fulfilling life and to having a healthy sense of well-being.
So, if you know or suspect that you’re caught up in a Negativity Trap, what can you do?
1. Become aware of your self-talk. When you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative or limiting about yourself, write it down. Start keeping a log of your internal dialogue and notice the corresponding feelings that accompany it.
2. Turn those negative, limiting statements into positive affirmations.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when creating and working with affirmations:
- Keep them in the present tense - as if they are already true. "I am" or “I have” are good ways to begin.
- Avoid the word "not" and its variations. For instance, "I am not fat" or even "I am no longer fat" keeps the focus on "fat". "I am healthy and trim" would be a better choice.
- Be frugal with the wording. You're not writing a treatise here. If one affirmation fills up more than half of a 3x5 index card, go back to the drawing board. Short and to the point is best.
- Put some emotion behind them. Feelings turbo charge our words giving them even more power. When you state your affirmation, dive in and really feel how wonderful it is that your statement is, indeed true.
- Turn them into a song. This not only makes them easier to remember, it also makes them more fun! Here’s an example sung to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell” – “I’m healthy, fit, and trim. I’m healthy, fit, and trim. I love my body now. I’m healthy, fit, and trim.” (from “13 Affirmation Songs on Melodies You already Know” – get your copy free when you join my mailing list at www.SpiritualCoachingCenter.com)
Remember, the bulk of our internal dialogue is made up of the 60,000 habitual thoughts that run through our subconscious and conscious mind. Changing these habitual thoughts is the same as changing any kind of habit. It takes conscious daily practice doing the "new" until the new becomes the habit – usually about 25-30 days. And just like doing anything new, it’s probably going to feel uncomfortable at first. But your diligence and stick-to-it-iveness will pay off in the long run.
Here are just a few benefits of working with positive affirmations and getting out of the Negativity Trap:
- less stress
- more energy and vitality
- increased confidence and self-esteem
- improved ability in whatever area you’re working on
- greater sense of happiness and well-being
You have control of your thoughts and attitudes. Sugar Ray Robinson, American Boxer once said, “I’ve always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.”
Which way will YOU choose to think?
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