By Brenda Terry
You know that static, white noise buzzing through your head all day? Those are thoughts. We all have them all day, and the tricky part is that they’re not real. They’re simply ideas you have about something and not the complete picture.
And thinking isn’t “bad.” Thoughts only become painful when they keep you stuck.
When something happens that triggers our thoughts, those thoughts can then trigger an emotional response, which can then trigger action.
If we only had positive thoughts that led to positive emotions that led to positive reactions, we’d all be happy. But that’s not the case. Our thoughts can take over and make us feel out of control.
The good news: We can tell our thoughts to take their hands off the steering wheel and to sit quietly in the backseat.
The following are some simple techniques you can use to stop negative thoughts in their tracks.
1. Notice your thoughts. Start by simply paying attention to the thoughts that happen in your mind. The more you practice listening to your thoughts, the better you’ll become at noticing them.
2. Use language to change the thought. As you notice a thought that doesn’t feel good, ask yourself, “This isn’t what I want to be thinking—what do I want to think instead?” Then, change your focus to the improved thought.
3. Play the ABC game. When you notice a negative thought, start reciting the letters of the alphabet followed by a word that will shift your focus in a happier direction. As an example, A is for abundance, amazing or able, etc.; B is for blissful, beautiful, or brilliant, etc.; C is for calm, confident, clear, etc., and so on. This game shifts your focus in a positive direction.
4. A thought is just a thought. Thoughts are great because we can choose to think a different one anytime we like. You get to choose your thoughts.
5. Interrupting the thought. Interrupt your crappy thought with something funny and short. When a negative thought creeps up, say, aloud if possible, something like, “Cancel,” or, “Delete.”
6. Replace the image. Imagine visually moving the picture of your negative thought to the left or the right of your vision until the emotions you’re associating with the picture disappear. Once you move the picture, imagine shrinking it to something as tiny as a postage stamp or grain of salt, then imagine blowing it away until it’s completely out of sight.
As you begin to play with these techniques, focus on changing no more than a few negative thoughts at a time, and with practice, changing your thoughts really will change your life!
Are you ready to turn off these negative thoughts and thrive in your business? Then you’re going to
