Are you in control of your thoughts and ideas? Or they just happen to you like a runaway train?
Do you feel like you’re jammed in a constant cycle of complaining, always full of negativity, and just cannot find anything positive to think about?
Your mindset and the way you perceive things happening around you is the lens with which you see the world. Each thought impulse we get in our mind trains our brain to see what we tell it to.
So it follows that if you’re a complainer, your brain will be tuned in to search for things that are wrong with your life, your relationships and the world around you. Whether you figure this out or not, you are always telling your brain which chemicals to concoct – the happy ones or the brooders!
The way you view your environment is vital to changing your mindset.
4 Steps to Changing Your Mindset (Once and for all)
Pay Attention to Your Thoughts
I know this sounds silly (and a waste of your time), but if you’re not aware of what you’re thinking about, you really can’t change it now, can you? Pay attention to what you think of most of the time, what words you think of when referring to yourself and your situations around you.
There are some areas that you’re happy with and some not so much! Try stepping back and listening to what your mind is really saying. Mind the thoughts in your head – becoming aware of your thoughts is the first step in changing. Identify them, and list those where you need work.
Yank those bad thoughts out
When you see a negative thought creeping up, such as “I am so unhappy,” “my life is so sad” or “I failed last time so I will just fail again,” you need to grab those thoughts and yank them out of your head!
Life’s too short to entertain negativity and allow them to drag you down – you just don’t want to waste your mental energy creating bad brain chemistry.
Just say NO! And stop those bad thoughts in their tracks – don’t allow them to take root and create a reality you never wanted for yourself.
Replace the Negativity with the “Truth”
Introduce a new thought – make it the truth. No need to flatter yourself.
Imagine, you thought you were “ugly.” Now immediately replace it with “I am beautiful.” It may not feel true, but it is! You are beautiful, everyone is. Force yourself to think about this truth.
If you thought of being a “failure,” then agree that you will do everything it takes so you don’t fail again – simple. Actions avoid uncertainty, and kill negativity and self-doubt.
Make this mindset shift intentional.
Begin with Gratitude
A great trick when starting something new is to stop thinking of a New Habit as something you have to do, but as something you are allowed to do.
This is an enormous mindset shift!
Let’s say you’re beginning a new diet program. Most people would say, “OK, I gotta do this! It’s good for me, I’m lazy and I need to get off the couch and burn some fat, and if I do this I’ll feel better about myself.”
This is not wrong, but it will make the workout and diet plan feel like a bit of a chore that you are being subjected to and will struggle through to get the benefits. And most people eventually will struggle through this boring, hard routine in order to get to their goals.
Instead, try saying: “Whoa, I’m able to do this, I am grateful I can.” And it is.
Imagine the workout being this lovely uplifting activity, where you feel your body moving, you push against the forces of gravity, you triumph despite the difficulty, you get fresh air in gorgeous nature and you are treating your body positively and are being good to it. This is a thing of beauty, and a rare treat!
Once you shift from “I have to” to “I am being able to,” you have changed how your mind perceives the activity - it is a chore no more! But a treat, a special gift.
Remembering to be grateful makes your journey memorable – it is not something you struggle through to get the benefit from — it is the benefit!