Powerful Technique to Expand Your Thinking - A Quick, MUST READ, if You Want to Feel Better Today

Woke up this morning with a mind flooding with fear and judgment about a situation one of my daughters has been facing at school.  I sat in meditation and watched the thoughts.  I noticed that my mind was going straight into worry mode -- that I had zoomed in on what was going wrong, what could go wrong and as I went down that thought path, I was finding all kinds of evidence to support my worries.

Good news is that I learned years ago that in any moment, I can change the focus of my thinking.  I leveraged my awareness and told myself gently to "STOP!"

I had taken my belief:  Things are going wrong with my daughter at school and proved that to be true.

But, I realized that I could easily shift my mind and do the same thing with the opposite idea.  What if I took 5 minutes and focused on the thought:  There are things that are going well with my daughter at school.  I wrote that thought down.  I searched for evidence and I filled an entire page with supporting evidence of things, both small and large, that were good about the situation.  I searched my mind and the situation for signs of progress, moments of good.  Yes -- my mind is powerful:  I have so much EVIDENCE OF THE GOOD.

So, which is true-- are things going wrong or are things going right with my daughter at school?

Friends, anything that we focus on can become our truth.  The amazing thing about our minds is that we literally can prove any thought we have to be true.  And, guess, what -- there is a concept in Positive Psychology called the "Negativity Bias" --it says that as humans we gravitate most easily toward searching for and focusing in on the one thing that is wrong rather than looking for all the things that are right!  As we tend to focus in on the wrong, the "Velcro Effect" kicks in:  any evidence of that negative bias will stick to the thought and cause us to feel the negative is really big, bad, harry and ugly!

So...how do we counteract this human tendency?

We can learn to stop ourselves when we notice our minds are focusing in on the negative.
We can step back.  Take a deep breath.  Become aware.  And notice an opportunity to shift our mental gears.
We can make a purposeful decision to search for the good, to challenge our mind to find as much evidence for the good in ourselves, in our lives, in situations so that we open our minds and transform our perspectives.

Why bother with any of this?  What I have personally seen, even this morning, is that when I focus in on my fear, worry or difficulty, it triggers a set of emotions in my body that make me feel on edge, bad and upset.  When I am upset, I am not very effective in handling the situation or enjoying my day.

BUT, if I focus in on the good and find some supporting evidence for it, I then trigger a set of positive emotions that lift my spirits, release good chemicals and support me in having a good day.  I prepare myself for a day of solutions and new possibilities.  And, that feels so much better!

Our minds can always find proof for what we choose to believe is true.

Why not take time today to try this idea for yourself?

Pick a belief or fear that is causing you to feel bad.   Write it down so you can see that thought in black and white.

Then, ask yourself, what is the opposite of that thought?  (For me, I was thinking:  Things are going wrong at my daughter's school.  So, I flipped the thought to, Things are going right at my daughter's school.)  Once you have the new, more positive thought, work hard at finding some evidence to support that being true.  This may feel awkward and uncomfortable because you are entering new territory as you search for the good.  You probably are not used to looking for good stuff. But, if you persist, you will find evidence.  Remember the simple idea:  What you seek, you find!

This simple, powerful technique, when practiced regularly, will expand your mind and help you see that you have more power to create your reality than you have yet tapped into.

In a few minutes, my daughter will wake up.  Because I took the time to search for all the good, I feel upbeat.  I feel full of possibility.  While I acknowledge the challenges we are still working through, I will look at her and see someone who is making progress, who is trying very hard to do well.  I will speak to her with peace and love rather than from a state of anxiety and judgment.  The energy that I just took the time to foster within myself will fill our home as we all prepare for the day ahead.

The situation at school has not changed.  It is my focus that has changed this morning.  With the positive energy I just generated within myself, I will be more capable today of being creative in finding new solutions to support my daughter's progress.  I will be in a state of gratitude for everything that the school is doing to help her.  I will see the progress, not just the obstacles.

As Wayne Dyer used to say, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."  My view on the situation on school is MUCH different than an hour ago.

I hope this very practical, personal example I've shared with you this morning will help you in seeing a simple way for you to do some mental aerobics.

If you get stuck and you need support, I am only a comment or email away.

We can all make the world a better place as we transform ourselves one thought at a time!

With all my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com