Our creative minds give us many great ideas. In business, we have to make a lot of decisions on a daily basis. Some of our ideas are brilliant. Others, not so much. While the entrepreneur has to proceed with confidence, that does not mean you have to act on every thought. In fact, of the millions of thoughts that go through our minds on a daily basis, most of them are completely useless.
Many of us have to find the right balance between nurturing our goals and letting ourselves become stressed out with too many messages going through our heads. We have to learn to sort through the white noise and filter out unproductive thoughts.
Attitude influences the way we think. A positive and productive outlook on work and life will make a big difference in how we perceive the world. In turn, negativity or self doubt can permeate thoughts in a destructive way. When we’re confused, overwhelmed or stressed out, it is important to take a deep breath and clear our minds of all the useless chatter.
Think of yourself as a mini radio station. You are constantly broadcasting signals about yourself to the world. The people and situations that match those signals are the ones that will tune in and become a part of your life experience. Some refer to this as “chemistry”, but it’s actually the resonance of your own personal energy that has been created by your thoughts and feelings.
If you believe this to be true, then you begin to realize that there is no one to blame, no fingers to point and no more excuses. In terms of your personal and professional success – or lack of it – you are 100% in charge. The accountability, direction and outcome are completely up to you. Our own consciousness creates our reality. Your self-observations, whether positive or negative, become your present reality. In other words, you become what you think about most.
It’s important to be fully aware of what you are focusing on. If you find yourself focusing on the things you don’t want, such as a difficult boss, too much debt or no significant other in sight, you want to stop and immediately shift your thinking. Here are just a few tools that work:
- Take a 20- minute walk outside. Breathe in the fresh air, remember all the things you have to be grateful for and give yourself a little bit of time and space to daydream about the things or situations you want in your life.
- Read through a list of positive affirmations. In fact, combine this with your walk and say the affirmations out loud at least half a dozen times. Don’t worry if they don’t feel real to you yet. Put the energy out there and allow the possibility to exist.
- Enlist a positive, enthusiastic friend as your “feel good” accomplice. Any time you find yourself down in the dumps and focusing on the negative, call her for a five minute pep talk. Let her remind you of not only how wonderful you are, but also of everything you have to be grateful for in your life.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Spend five minutes a day writing down all of the things you are grateful for in your life. Any time you need a mind shift, spend a few minutes reading through your journal.
- Assess your environment. Are you surrounded by clutter and things you don’t love? Take some time to clear your space and keep only those things that are most meaningful to you. Donate what you do not want or need to others. Every animal shelter needs blankets. Most recovery and rehab homes need daily supplies. By doing this, you will help yourself and others.
- Help someone less fortunate that you. Volunteer. Mentor. Spend a weekend at a pediatric cancer ward. Nothing will snap you out of feeling sorry for yourself faster than helping an at-risk teen or someone who only has a few months to live.
Every once in a while you have to switch your internal radio station and find a new channel with programming that inspires or relaxes you. Sometimes, it’s even a good idea to turn off your proverbial radio. Do something that calms and restores your mind, whether that entails getting a massage or reading an interesting book. These simple activities can help inspire change and eradicate the negative thoughts that threaten to diminish your spirit.
©Liz Dennery Sanders 2013
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