What Are You Thinking? The Path to Mental Excellence

Change Your Thoughts to Change Your Life

The subject of thinking is an intriguing one. Our mental excellence begins and continues to grow with the question, "What are you thinking?"

As we broaden our understanding of how powerful our thoughts are, we learn to expand our knowledge of other principles. We know to open our hearts, enabling us to live a life of safety, trust, and unlimited creativity.

There is no limit to the amount we can improve upon regarding the quality of our lives. It all begins with what we are thinking. This is the path to mental excellence.

I will introduce you to four main ways to change your thoughts. Lets begin with the following powerful principles and practical techniques.

4 Main Ways to Change Negative Thoughts

You may say, "It's impossible to change how I think." Well, it isn't impossible, but it does require some work. I'm referring to repetition. We begin to notice a change in our habits by repeating an action repeatedly.

To change your thoughts begin with these four actions:

1. Reflection. Reflecting on past behaviors leads us to judge what has happened in the past, which creates automatic behaviors in the present. Replace this thinking with new thoughts to bring about positive actions. Replace your dwelling in the past by living in the present moment.
2. You are disputing irrational thoughts. If you think to yourself, "I'll never be able to do this," you'll feel hopeless. Instead, replace the negative review with a positive one, such as "I can complete these steps, which will lead me to complete the task." You will feel more hopeful and likely to engage in the desired behavior.
3. You are being mindful or focusing your attention on the present moment. Begin to look at the world like you've never seen it before. Avoid the "what-ifs and the should-haves." Keep your attention directed to the present. You will succeed.
4. Intentionally think about positive thoughts or new ways of narrating our lived experiences. Our reality is our perception through different filters in our minds. As we focus on the positive, we change our feelings and behavior, leading us to the path of mental excellence.

Positive Beliefs to Validate Your Self-Worth

To validate your basic goodness and worth, practice the following examples daily:

• I am good.
• I deserve health, happiness, peace, and prosperity.
• I am capable of creating everything I need and want.
• Life is meant to be a joyful, exciting, creative learning experience.

You have the right to become the person you want to be and live the life you desire.

As you repeat these positive beliefs, your health, happiness, and well-being will start to soar.

“I have suffered much in my life . . . and most of it never happened.”

— Henry David Thoreau

Why Worry is a Waste of Time

One of the top causes of negative thinking is worry. We worry about an entire kaleidoscope of possibilities, most of which never happen. What a waste of time and energy. Do we think that by worrying, things will change?

• "I'm going to think of all the negative results that may happen in a particular situation. I'd better dwell on these negative thoughts, which keep me up at night because doing so might help."
• Imagine for a minute that your mind is a garden. You can fill your mind with beautiful flowers or choose weeds that become overgrown and out of control. What will it be?
• You can't think about two opposing thoughts at the same time. Whatever you focus on will be.
• Life is made up of thoughts, and how we think determines exactly what kind of life we will live. By controlling our thoughts, we determine our actions.
• We can choose to stay on a path leading to mental excellence, or we can become a victim of our negative mind and be miserable.

Recommended

Emily Dickinson’s "So has a Daisy vanished"

It's never too late to form good habits. You deserve to lead a happy and fulfilling life.

Words Used in Negative Context

Here are some words to avoid to be a positive thinker:

• Always/never
• No one
• Everyone
• Should/shouldn't
• Must/ought
• Can't
• Bad
• Awful
• Cynical
• Impatience
• Hopelessness

An Effective Way to Interrupt Negative Thinking

I want to share a practical exercise that I use when a negative thought begins to take hold of me:

1. When I become aware that a negative thought is turning into self-talk, I yell, "Stop It." This interrupts my present state long enough to go to the next step.
2. Immediately replace the negative thought with a positive one. Repeat this process several times.
3. If yelling stop doesn't work the first time, I repeat the word stop repeatedly.
4. I immediately visualize something extraordinary. A scene in a movie, a favorite song, the ocean, a person, something funny—anything works as long as I change my focus.

This will take practice. I call this "thought stopping," and it works. I find it best to do this for at least 15 minutes several times a day.

I'm not saying it's possible to control our thoughts every minute. After all, we aren't robots. We have feelings and emotions. Avoid labeling these feelings because we block our energy flow. Furthermore, whatever we are feeling, it's essential to allow ourselves to feel it fully. Repressing feelings can lead to physical health problems.

Look at the chart below to replace negative thoughts.

Negative Thoughts vs. Positive Thoughts

"If you want to stop bad habits, you can start laughing at them. To reclaim your power, all you need to do is laugh at the absurdity of thinking you don't have it."

Loretta Stani Ph.D

If You Think You Can't, You're Probably Right

As a vocal teacher, I have found that those who think they can or those who think they can't usually are right.

When a client comes to me with a negative attitude, believing they sound terrible when they sing, they usually do. They may sing off-key or lose control. But when a singer enters my studio thinking they can sing, they will give me their best performance. They sing with confidence and joy.

• Negative thinking closes the door to progress and possibilities.
• Positive thinking opens the door to growth, development, and success. When we allow ourselves to dwell on negatives, hurts, and mistreatments, we become negative thinkers.
• We have a choice. We open our horizons when we think big and remain positive.
• When we feel we can't, we close the door leading to all possibilities. Our attitude plays a tremendous role in achieving mental excellence.

And here's one more reason for developing a good attitude. When it comes down to it, cheerful, optimistic people are happier and healthier and enjoy more success than those who think negatively.

The critical difference between them is how they feel about and interpret the events in their life.

Gangrene and Amputation: A True Short Story

James Leonard Kerr (Jim) lay quietly in his hospital bed, waiting to hear what the surgeon had to say about his foot. Jim had type 2 diabetes, and regardless of his careful diet, an ugly ulcer developed on the bottom of his right foot.

He could still picture himself sitting in his brown leather recliner with his feet elevated and his blonde-haired daughter massaging his feet. She was careful not to touch the growing ulcer, which might cause pain to her beloved father.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his short trip back in time. "Hello, Jim. How are you doing today?" "Oh, I am just fine," Jim replied to the familiar face of his doctor. Immediately, the surgeon joined the doctor, trying to muster up a smile. He placed Jim's trembling hand in his.

"Jim, your foot has turned black because gangrene has invaded the entire area, and unless we do something about it, the gangrene will travel up your leg to your heart, and you will die."

Jim was silent for a minute and asked the surgeon his options. "You only have one option, Jim. Your leg will have to be amputated above the knee." At this point, both doctors and nurses were fighting back salty tears. They all came to love and respect this man who faced unbelievable challenges in his 60-plus years with humor and a vast, sparkling smile.

Jim didn't take long to respond to what lay before him. "Oh, that's okay ... don't look so sad. I'll get a brand new leg someday. There's one waiting for me in Heaven."

Jim recovered from his surgery and never once complained of pain or discomfort. As the prosthesis was measured to fit what was left of the thigh area, he was warned that it would take months before he could walk with it. Determined not to let anything stop him, he worked endlessly every day, regardless of the pain.

He proved the doctors wrong when he walked without a walker or cane in just a few weeks.

Jim is my father. He now resides in Heaven, walking with two perfect legs. Through my father's example, I have learned how the power of positive thinking brings joy to one's life regardless of the circumstances. For me, negativity is a waste of time.