HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOPIC.45(2)

By likemindblog

REVOLUTIONARY POSITIVE THINKING!

Introduction

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”- William James

Continuation from last week…

Any way you look at it, you can’t lose when you choose the positive side to thinking. Keep in mind though that you can’t control what other people say, do, or think. You can influence their attitude, but you cannot dictate it. They will be the ones to think what they want to think, and so do you. You can only be a good example to others of what positive attitude is capable of bringing about. Rest assured, as an example to others, that you will annoy some, but you will definitely influence many others.

What do you do if someone says unkind or hurtful things to you? This may be surprising, especially if you have adopted an attitude of positive thinking. If you’ve found the positive side of the situation and have shown kindness, this could very well mean that it’s not really about you at all. Remember, you’re not responsible for their attitude, although you might be able to influence it. They have to find their own path towards a positive way of thinking. They may be facing obstacles that are unknown to you and others, but which they have to deal with on their own. Be persistent in your positive attitude for yourself and others.

All people are entitled to their own opinion, which may differ from yours. It doesn’t mean it should upset you; it’s simply their opinion. There are as many opinions in the world as there are human beings. Not everyone is going to agree with you on any particular issue. But your truth is your truth, no matter what anyone else says. It works the other way around as well – your truth is not necessarily theirs. You must follow your own inner guidance. Shakti Gawain said, “Every time you don’t follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness.”

Marcus Aurelius said, “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” No one can hurt your feelings or make you feel less valuable as a person, unless you allow it. It’s your life; make it what you need it to be.

To keep that positive attitude flowing, spend time with friends and family who are of like mind. Be with non-judgmental people who accept you just the way you are. You don’t need a lot of friends, just a few really true friends. They are the ones who will love you no matter what, and can be depended upon through trials and jubilations.

As soon as you allow yourself to develop that positive attitude, your life will begin to change for the better. Positive thoughts allow for personal growth and success in all aspects of your life. As you practice being positive, you will anticipate happiness and favorable outcomes more and more. You won’t automatically wonder what bad thing is going to happen next in your life.

At this stage, the most important thing to remember is to be persistent. This is not something you can do every now and then. This is a lifestyle change. Instead of telling yourself what you can’t do, begin to tell yourself what you can indeed accomplish. Say it everyday; practice the positive attitude in every scenario, in every situation. Remember the joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall — “practice, practice, practice!”

The best part is that as human beings, we think all the time. It’s just a matter of training your brain to think the correct way, to think in a positive manner. Want to change the way you feel about things? Then change your thoughts. Change your thoughts and you change your emotions. Which means you can be happy if you truly want to be, you just have to think it first. Now, this is not Peter Pan’s thinking happy thoughts; this is more important than that. This is the secret to change the way you feel about everything in your life. Your thoughts and emotions are tied together. They influence how you will live your life every single day. So why not make the most of it?

So what is your priority in life? Do you want to be happy and successful, to love and be loved? Do you want to grow and develop as a person? Then you must be persistent in your positive attitude, no matter what happens. Practice, practice, practice.

Keep in mind too, that since we’re only human beings, we will have some downtimes – times when we don’t feel very positive. This is normal, so don’t feel downhearted when it happens. It doesn’t mean it’s all been for nothing and that you have to start from square one. Give yourself the leeway to have a bad day, once in a while. It’s not the end of the world. Tomorrow will be a better day and you can start again. Just pick up where you left off. This self-improvement thing is a day-to-day project; all good things take time. You can’t just wake up one day and be completely changed. Remember that it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters.

Each day, there are choices to make. Bad days will happen; it’s a given. So, get up the next day and make the choice that it’s going to be a good day. Make it happen. Be dedicated to a life of positive thinking and decision-making, then take action on those decisions. Beware of homeostasis or just plain laziness.

Eric Hoffer said, “The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves; we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.”

Chapter 2

Positive Thinking at Work:

Happy Employees = Productive Employment

“Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun.” – Colleen C. Barrett

You only have a minute,

Only 60 seconds in it,

Forced upon you, can’t refuse it,

Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.

You must suffer if you lose it.

Give account if you abuse it.

It’s just a tiny little minute,

But your whole future is in it.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mayo wrote that poem and it says it all. Don’t waste any minute, your whole future is in it. In order to utilize your life well down to the last minute, you must apply positive thinking any way you can to your life.

Positive thinking is one of the keys to success in the business world. And it starts with how you think about yourself, in relation to your work. If you’re not as successful as you want to be, who’s stopping you? Who’s holding you back? Most likely, the only one stopping you from attaining success is you.

Are you thinking that you’re just average in everything? Being average isn’t a bad thing, just limiting. If that’s all you think you can accomplish, then that’s all you will accomplish. Why stop at average? Why stop growing at all?

There’s always room for improvement. It could be that your thoughts are keeping you from being where you want to be, where you deserve to be. Maybe you’re dissatisfied with your job, or the level you’re working at. You know you’re capable of more. Maybe your job is stressful, or maybe you’re not making enough money.

What do you do?

You start with your thoughts on the matter. Are you constantly telling yourself that you can’t do any better, or make any more? Are you telling yourself that stress just comes with the territory? Do you feel you don’t deserve something better? Has your self-esteem taken a beating? Why would you settle for that?

Once again, you need to change your thoughts. It’s not up to somebody else to change things for you; it’s up to you. The stress, the dissatisfaction, the low self-esteem, and the negative self-talk are all things you can change, because they are all things you’ve brought to the party, so to speak. In your mind, you’ve told yourself all the lies, or you’ve blamed other outside influences on your lack of success.

How do you turn things around? Start by setting yourself some goals; figure out what you want. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it or you don’t deserve it. Don’t convince yourself that the boss simply doesn’t like you, and that’s the reason you haven’t advanced in your job.

If you don’t like your job, but don’t feel that changing is a possibility right now, you have to find something about your job that you do like. Maybe there’s an individual that you enjoy working with, or there’s some facet of the job that you don’t mind so much. Focus on that and find a reason to do your best. The more you convince yourself that your job is dreadful, the harder it will be to go to work each day.

A positive attitude can make the job seem less stressful or less overwhelming. A change of attitude at work will change the emotions you feel as well. Finding the upside to the work place will make all the difference in how you feel, in your productivity, and in your interaction with others.

Find out what you need to know to improve the entire situation. If what you need is to learn new skills, approach that with a positive attitude and learn all you can. The irony is that the more you think you know, the less you actually do know. Go in with an open mind and a good attitude, and improve your skills. This will make a huge difference in your work life.

The brain is a wondrous machine, but requires sustained effort to maintain it. You must train your brain to consider all possibilities before making decisions. Let your mind explore new places and probabilities. Learn to take what you see and hear, roll it around in your mind, and see what you can make of it. Learn from others; wisdom shared is wisdom expanded. When faced with something different and difficult, don’t give up and say you can’t do it. Consider it a challenge.

To develop your intellect, you must use your mind constantly. If you don’t think for yourself, but allow others to make your decisions and choices, you loseyour place in the destiny reserved for you. Consider your gifts; and yes, you do have them. Ask yourself what you can accomplish with those gifts. What can you offer? In order to develop positive thinking skills, you must list your talents and abilities. If you’re honestly not sure what they are, ask some friends and co-workers. They’ll have no trouble enumerating them for you.

Attitude is what will help you find your wings and fly, or keep you grounded for life. Learn the discipline you will need, not only to survive, but to thrive as well. Set your determination level to high and never allow yourself to be thwarted in your goals.

Another way to positive action is to watch the words you speak to others in your work life. Honor those words; if you make a promise, stand by your word. As an employee, how do you respond to a request? Is your response, “No problem,” or “Consider it done!” If your first response is to look aggrieved and mutter, “I can’t do it,” or “that’s not my job,” you need to stop and consider an attitude adjustment. It’s important to always show up for others and for yourself.

Brian Tracy said, “Your attitude is an expression of your values, beliefs and expectations.” Expect more of yourself. Maybe that’s what’s been missing. According to a Harvard Study, “Success in life is 85% attitude, 15% aptitude.” In order to achieve the success you crave, you need opportunities. These opportunities begin to show themselves as soon as your attitude changes. You will become just easier to be around, to work with, and to talk to. Everyone loves being around a positive person. They’re happier, they smile more, they’re moreconfident, and they tend to make the people around them feel more confident too. You’ll find more people will come to you for advice and help, because they can see you’re a can-do kind of person. If you feel good about yourself, so do those with whom you come into contact each day.

So how do you do this attitude shift at work? Start by looking your coworkers in the eye and smiling at them. Give praise lavishly. If some co-workers did a good job, tell them and show them. When they did some tasks or favors for you, say thank you. This shows respect and appreciation; and who doesn’t enjoy that?

Instead of the usual negative discussion at the water cooler, why not keep it more upbeat. Discuss positive subjects. Be encouraging with co-workers. You’d be amazed at the difference you can make in your workplace when you display a more positive attitude.

Another way to success is to make plans and write them down. Is there a special job you desire? Write it down; but don’t stop there! Figure out the steps necessary to attaining that particular position. What do you need to do to get from Point A to Point B? Do you need to upgrade your skills, take classes, get certified? Write all the details down; but still, don’t stop there either. Take inspired action. Robert Ringer said, “Nothing happens until something moves.” So get moving!

Maybe your dream job is actually working for yourself. You can make this dream come true; use that new positive attitude. Figure out what you want in life, your purpose. What do you want to be when you grow up? Write it down, make aplan, and find out what you need to get started. Then get moving. Act with enthusiasm and faith. And don’t forget to take advantage of any and all opportunities; you never know which one will be the key to your success. “Small opportunities are often the beginnings of great enterprises,” said Demosthenes. Here too is a place where you may run into critics and naysayers. They will try their best to dissuade you in your efforts to attain your dream. They mean well, but do not listen to them. Many times, they attempt to change your mind about your dream venture, because deep down in their hearts, they are jealous that you’re brave enough to try it and they are not. Subconsciously, they know if you try it and succeed, it means they’re wrong; and they don’t want to admit that.

It’s not wrong to dream big, to want more, and to strive towards success. As for the naysayers and the critics, don’t tell them what you’re going to do, show them; just do it! They can’t criticize you for succeeding; no one argues with success that’s an accomplished fact.

As Patty Hansen said, “You create your opportunities by asking for them.”

To be continued next week…