Читать книгу I'm Positive! - Michelle Robinson - Страница 4

No matter what goal we want to achieve, it is important that our unconscious mind and conscious mind work together to support success.

The automatic programs that store our habits, behaviours and beliefs sit in the unconscious mind, like software on a computer. Sometimes they are more like a virus or a version uploaded during childhood than currently helpful or relevant. Yet they continue to steer our life.

The activities and strategies in this book provide conscious steps you can take to enhance and strengthen your positive thinking.

In summary, the ART of Positive Thinking involves:

 Awareness so that automatic, unhelpful thoughts and responses are acknowledged and changed before they impact you;

 Resolving and/or Releasing unhelpful emotions, beliefs, habits and memories from the past; and

 Training to consistently choose positive responses rather than self-limiting habits and beliefs.

Reframing (changing) negative self-talk is important at every stage of the process. You will become a friend to yourself and not the saboteur.

Over time, your positive relationship with yourself becomes automated. You do not have to consciously ‘do the right thing’ for the rest of your life. Healthy decisions will just occur naturally. You will no longer expect negative outcomes. You will become options-focussed and open to possibilities when facing challenges. Life will feel like a learning experience and less like hard work or punishment. These are some of the internal shifts that occur with an orientation towards positive thinking.

You become the creator of your experiences, since how you respond feels more under your control. Rather than believing things always happen to you, you recognise points of influence where you can shape the outcome. In other words, positivity steers you away from reacting to life and towards creating your life.

With awareness, you learn to live in the present moment. You are mindful of what is relevant right now and resist forming judgements or expectations based on the past. You free yourself from doing what you have always done, because you treat each moment as a fresh opportunity. This is very helpful for relationships, problem solving, decision making and keeping you grounded in what is real. If you experience anxiety, mindfulness will be your friend.

With awareness comes the realisation that some old habits, expectations and beliefs need to be released because they only hold you back. Unhelpful feelings need to be resolved so you can move forward. You need to listen to yourself and honour what makes you happy. It is never too late to become the creator of your life.

To maintain a positive approach, you will need to train yourself over time. You may have been criticised, abused or treated as though you are incapable of doing anything right. You may have low self-esteem, feel lethargic, anxious, depressed or angry. You may just feel ‘stuck’ in your life and want to move forward with more confidence and energy. Don’t give up. You deserve better than that. We all do.