At times, you may feel you are your worst enemy. That is because oftentimes you are! But why do you do this and how can you overcome yourself, so you can thrive in life!
How we experience our day, first starts with a thought. Our thoughts lead to feelings, which leads to emotional experiences. So if you want to change how you experience your day, you have to start with your thoughts. According to the National Science Foundation, an average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts. If we repeat those negative thoughts, we think negative way more than we think positive thoughts. Negative thoughts lead to negative experiences.
So how can you change what may feel automatic to you?
You must first become aware that you are having these negative thoughts. These are usually in the way of negative self-talk. You may find that you judge yourself. You may be your own worst critic! Change the script. Be aware! Pay attention to these thoughts. Write down these negative thoughts if you must. Bring attention to them so that you can then reframe them! Re-write your thoughts so you can create new, positive emotional experiences. Never let a thought go passed your mind that you do not want to experience in your reality. For example, let’s say you are going to a job interview. You desperately want the new job, but from the moment you wake up, while you are getting dressed, pouring your coffee, driving to the interview, and waiting to be seen by the interviewee, you have repetitive negative thoughts (self-talk). It may sound like this, “I won’t get this job, why am I even here? I look terrible, ugh. I am probably not the right fit.” Do you think you will have a positive energy about you once you walk into the interview? Do you think the interviewee will get a positive vibe that makes him say, this is the one? No. You just set yourself up for failure. Instead, change that self-talk to one that exudes confidence! Go into the interview with a mindset that you already got the job. By creating those thoughts, you can match the emotion, and create a positive experience. You can apply this to your daily life. From the moment you wake up, set the pace for your day by creating the right mindset that will serve you. Create the mindset that will result in a positive experience for you.
Ivy Vitality Wellness Center— “Self-awareness creates empowerment that leads to transformation.”
