|
How Developing a Positive Outlook Creates a Happy and Successful Life
Rev. Dr. Kitty Boitnott, NBCT, RScP
Heart-Centered Career Transition and Job Search Coach | Stress Management Coach
The series on kaizen which promoted making small changes in your life to improve your health, finances, and productivity is complete. This week, I am starting a new series on how to develop a positive outlook so that you may create a happy and successful life.
It is absolutely essential that we focus on the positive right now during these challenging times in our world. And let's face it. We are experiencing some challenging times!
As a result of experiencing these challenges, we may be also be feeling lots of conflicting emotions. And all of those emotions are the result of the thoughts we have in each moment each and every day.
Consider the damage done if all those thousands of thoughts were negative ones.
What impact would that have on your life?
Thinking negative thoughts most or all of the time will make you a generally unhappy person. And you would be making everyone around you miserable, too, since negativity is contagious.
You would also find that you don't do much at work or at home. You might feel defeated and see no point in living. Negativity can cause you to dread each new day.
But what if those thousands of thoughts were positive? You would feel happy and optimistic, and you would feel more confident about your life. You might find that you accomplish your goals at work and home, making you feel each day feel successful.
You would also be more tolerant and accepting of others as well as compassionate.
Peale promoted the school of thought that our life experience is the byproduct of our thoughts. Many came to believe that negative thinking can lead to a variety of problems, both psychological and physiological.
Each of those men and many others offered that by taking control of our thoughts, we can take control of our lives.
Some people may balk at the idea that they can actually "control" their thoughts. After all, we are thinking thousands of thoughts a day without feeling that we have much control over them.
But we can take control of our thoughts. Focusing on the positive rather than the negative is the key.
Throughout this series on positive thinking, you'll see how it can change your life for the better. It will change your outlook on life, and it will help you become more successful.
You'll begin by learning how success in life is directly connected to your thoughts. Then, you can discover the various ways to rid yourself of negative thoughts whenever they happen.
Next, we'll take a look at how to tap into your subconscious mind. That's where the real action is, after all. Finally, you will uncover ways to use the power of positive thinking in a variety of areas in your life.
Connecting Success and the Power of Positive Thinking
"Positive thinking is expecting, talking, believing, and visualizing what you want to achieve. It is seeing what you want, as an accomplished fact." ~ Remez Sasson
We often see successful people who are interviewed about their success. We want to know how they became successful. We want to know their "secret" of success.
Most of them have a positive "can-do" attitude. They use this power of positive thinking to help them succeed.
One of the best interviews I have ever seen on this subject featured actor, Will Smith. Smith often talks about how hard work rather than talent accounts for his success. And he has offered his "secrets" of success in this article, "8 Secrets of Success from Will Smith."
The bottom line is that your outlook is what your perception of success (or failure) looks like. It has a significant impact on your success. The good news is that if you have a negative mindset, you can change it, and your attitude will become more positive.
Here are seven ways positive thinking can lead to success:
1. Positive thinking helps to solve problems more quickly and easily. People who think positively learn new information more easily. They generally have a "growth mindset." And a growth mindset improves your overall perspective. It also enables you to tackle problems and challenges as they occur. Delaying dealing with problems and challenges generally only makes things worse.
2. Positive thinking is directly linked to your energy level. When you are in a good mood and feeling positive, you tend to laugh more readily. Laughing boosts your endorphins and increases the level of energy so you can do more.
3. Positive thinking helps to give you a sense of control over yourself and your life. Thinking positively actually builds your confidence level. You will have more assuredness about your abilities. Studies show that successful people can actually control their thought processes.
4. A positive attitude will also attract other positive people to you. Successful people often have a large circle of friends.
5. Positive thinkers set goals and follow through. They are action takers. That allows them to achieve those goals more easily. It also happens to be one of the keys to success. A key component of success for anyone is setting a goal and then taking action to make it a reality.
6. Positive thinking can improve your ability to make good decisions. You are likely to be open to more creative solutions. Negative thinking closes your mind and narrows your thought processes. Successful people tend to be open-minded. They also tend to be forward thinkers. They make good decisions and are better problem solvers
7. A positive outlook can help build resilience. Successful people often face many failures and mistakes before they ultimately succeed. Those with a positive attitude are generally more mentally and physically resilient, and they tend to recover quicker when they do fail. They refuse to give up,
Success is more than just positive thinking. It requires that you take affirmative action as well. While positive thinking builds the foundation of success, thinking without action is fruitless.
How to Rid Yourself of Negative Thoughts
A positive attitude is doesn't happen overnight. Nor does it happen without your making a significant effort. You will need to take one step at a time if you wish to create a positive outlook on life.
Everyone has a negative thought on occasion. You are only human! We can all succumb to a negative thought when something that appears to be tragic or meaningless takes place.
The trick is to catch yourself before you spiral into a negative place in your mind.
Look for the silver lining in every negative appearance. Be vigilant about being aware of your thoughts. Always be on guard. Ask yourself, "What am I thinking right now?"
Learn to recognize your negative thinking patterns. With practice, it becomes easier and easier to catch yourself.When you do catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, stop immediately. Replace those thoughts with positive ones. Try to see some good in every situation.
When a negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with a positive idea. For example:
Negative thought: "Hey, did you see that guy cut me off at the exit? What a jerk!"
Positive thought change: "I'm not in a hurry, and that guy seems to be. He must really be stressed out. I don't think he even saw me."
Negative thought: "Wow, I can't believe how slow the service here is today. What is our waitress doing back there? Taking a break?"
Positive thought change: "The service here is usually pretty good. Our waitress must be having a bad day."
Read inspirational, positive quotes and articles that will lift you up. You might enjoy reading about the lives of successful and happy people.
Do things that light you up and spark your passion.
Don't forget to do those things that you genuinely love. We have gotten so busy as a society that we forget that we need to take breaks. We need to laugh more. And we need to stay in touch with the things and people that we dearly love.
Visualize your life as you want it to be if it isn't what you want it to be right now. Make a list of goals for yourself. Create a vision board. When negative thoughts intrude, look at your goals or vision board to remind you of what you want your life to be.
Don't forget that everyone has a negative thought on occasion. And that's okay. Just don't dwell there and stay stuck in the negativity. Recognize and replace those thoughts with positive thoughts immediately.
In the next post, I will offer some tips on how to cultivate a positive attitude.
Until next time.
P. S,
|
If all the talk about going back to school this fall has you thinking it might be time to look for a new job or career, you are not alone. Many teachers are considering whether or not it is safe for them to go back and they have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of their students as well.
If you are considering that it is time to start looking for a new line of work, I want you to join me for a new, free, live webinar workshop entitled, "3 Secrets of EVERY Successful Job Search." I have offered this workshop both in person and as a webinar workshop at different times over the years, and I felt like it was time to offer it again.
It will be offered Thursday, July 30, 2020, at 1:00 PM EST and 11:00 AM PST.
To register, click here: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/15/67l2wa4.
In this workshop, you will learn the #1 challenge that every job seeker needs to overcome BEFORE starting their search. Even before they start to write their resume.
You will also learn the secret of shortening your search and saving valuable time and money in the process.
Join me next Thursday, July 30, 2020, at 1:00 PM EST (11:00 AM PST).
Just click here to register: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/15/67l2wa4.
Feel free to share the link with a friend who may be thinking about making a move. The more, the merrier!
I hope to see you there if you are contemplating making a career move. You need this information if you want to be successful.
Kitty
|
| 
