We Are Defined By Our Thoughts So Make Them Positive

We often define ourselves by the mental chatter that goes on constantly inside our heads. By our thoughts, we have ideas of who we are and what everything around us means.

And the only way that you can begin to recondition your subconscious mind for success is by detaching yourself from the idea that you are your thoughts.

Feelings of success, mindfulness and happiness come from the realization that thoughts come and go of their own accord—that you are not your thoughts. You can watch as your thoughts appear in your mind, almost from thin air, and watch again as they disappear, like a soap bubble bursting. Your thoughts come and they go, and ultimately, you have a choice about whether to act on them or not.

If you have been operating on autopilot for a while, you’ve probably settled into a nice groove, and it takes some serious effort to change that. It's sort of like how you feel on a cold winter morning, while you're nestled in between your warm sheets, when the thought of getting out of bed is uncomfortable, and when doing so requires motivation and willpower.

But whenever you fully grasp the idea that you are something far greater than your thoughts—beyond words at all—you begin to understand that you have the power to choose which thoughts you will think.

Try it out:
Think of a purple banana... Got it?
Think of a flying elephant... Got it?
Think of a green bicycle... Got it?

You were able to conjure up images of these incredibly silly ideas because you have control over your mind. Your mind will do whatever you tell it to do, so altering your subconscious mind, and therefore your life, is no more difficult a task than telling your mind to do new things—new things, like complete belief in yourself and your abilities, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says.

A simple way to grasp this whole idea is to compare your mind and your thoughts to a computer. Your subconscious mind can be compared to the hard drive, the actual machine itself; your conscious mind can be compared to the programs that are loaded on the machine; and you can be compared to the programmer, who chooses the programs that are installed on the computer.

Your thoughts and beliefs are nothing but programs that are installed on your hard drive, and since they determine the course of your life, it would be wise to install the most beneficial programs you can find. All it takes to reprogram your mind is a sincere desire to do so and an indomitable persistence to stick with it day after day.

When you catch yourself thinking the following negative thoughts, replace them with these positive thoughts.

When you think this… Say this instead…

1. Think about the future! Enjoy the moment you’re in right now. 
2. Don’t do something you’ll regret! In the end, we only regret the things we didn’t get to do. 
3. I wish I hadn’t done that! I can’t change the past—learn and move on. 
4. Will things ever work out? What’s meant to be will happen. 
5. Why did they do that? I can’t control others but I can control how I react to it. 
6. Will I ever find happiness? What can I be happy about right now? 
7. What’s wrong with me? I am perfect exactly the way I am in this moment. 

You can flip it and begin training your thoughts to empowering statements of positivity. Changing the way you think is vital to your success. Negative thinking can stop you before you even get started.

As Wayne Dyer said, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

Source: Success.com

The Future…. YOU

How often do you think about your future self? It could make all the difference in how happy and successful you are later in life.

You see, one of the biggest factors in making smart decisions is knowing when to pay short-term costs for long-term benefits. It’s about keeping the future in mind.

But for many, especially in our fast-paced world, there is a tendency for “instant gratification.” We want things now, not later – even if that means rejecting a much bigger reward in the future.

If you don’t think about your future self, and only consider your needs and wants in the present moment, then that can often lead to a lot of impulsive decisions that later come back to bite you.

True intelligence requires that we act with a long-term mindset. We need to pay attention to how what we do today is going to ultimately influence where we are tomorrow. Sometimes it is more important to hold off on something now, so that we have even more to gain in the future.

If you consider your wants and needs in the future, you’re going to act differently today than you would if you completely ignored your future. Individuals are more likely to make these future-oriented decisions when they feel more powerful and in control over their lives. Perhaps, too many people underestimate the influence they have over their future, so they begin to neglect it entirely.

It’s easy to see how our actions influence the present. We do something and we get an immediate reaction. But it’s a lot harder to imagine how these actions influence our future self, months, years and decades down the road. The successful person is strongly connected to their “future self.” They see where they want to be and how they can start moving in that direction today.

Many people underestimate how much their lives will change in the future. But think of it this way:

Take a moment to look back at your life 5, 10, or 20 years ago. That “past self” probably seems quite different from your “present self.” In the same way, if you look ahead toward your life 5, 10, or 20 years, your “future self” is likely to be just as different. We’re constantly growing and changing.

Now that you know the importance of your future self, what are some useful ways you can start better connecting with your future self?

Here are a few exercises to try:

• Take 5 minutes and ask yourself, “How are my actions today influencing where I will be in the future?” Try to have a long-term mindset and see the bigger picture behind your daily habits.
• Write a letter from your “future self” to your “present self.” What kind of advice might they give to you? What insights could you potentially learn from them?
•  Imagine what your life may be like in 5 years. Then 10 years. Then 20 years. What are some possible paths that you might travel down?

The main lesson: thinking about your future self is going to have a positive influence on the actions of your present self.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we should always be thinking about the future. We have to give ourselves permission to enjoy the present too. Our “present self” and “future self” need to be balanced in a healthy way. That balance is critical to our inner peace and happiness.

Have you been thinking about your future self lately? If not, make sure you try out the exercises above and see how they work for you.

Get on the right path to achieve your full potential! Focus on personal development to improve your life. Book a free strategy session at http://www.denisedema.com today! 

source: The Emotion Machine