The Power of The POSITIVE!

Changing yourself can be as easy as changing your thoughts - Bessie Recep

Sometimes we think so negative about ourselves. low esteem, low confidence, thinking that whats life worth living for. We get so depressed, cry every night alone, worrying so much about practically everything. Believe me. Your not the only one. However, as i went thru cleo mag, aussie, i came across this article which says the power of positive by Dr Timothy Sharp from the Happiness Institure (thehappinessinstitute.com.au) and psychologist Sharon Bent. It says its ok if we doubt at some point , but learning to recognise negative thoughts and replace them with more constructive ones, can make all the difference. So its time to quiten those "toxic" thinking patterns and let your self-confidence soar!


Negative thought no.1
" IM JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH"
**People might develop this belief during childhood if their parents were overly criticalor set excessively high standards and says such dialogue encourages self-doubt. " It limits the person from pursuing opportunitie or connecting with people that may actually enhance their sense of self-worth, simply because they think others are ' beyond them'.
Fortunately, there ARE ways to challenge these thoughts
1. Focus on what you're good at
"Aiming for perfection often leads to avoidance, so nothing gets done; accepting something that's less than perfect (so long as you try your best) can lead to far more productivity and ultimately, more happiness."

Negative thought no.2
"ILL NEVER FIND MY SOUL MATE"
The danger with negative mindset is that it can easily create self-fulfilling prophecies.
" People who think like this develop behaviours that are unattractive, or that turn others away if there is some attraction."
Having realistiv expectations of The One- that is, that they may not necessarily be perfect-is crucial.
"Your happiness shouldn't solely depend on your relationship status.
"Embrace responsibility for your own contentment and develop strategies- that don't rely finding the One- to enhance your sense of purpose,"
" Start doing some type of volunteer wok with an organisation that you feel passionately about. You'll soon find this will give you a more positive mindset, which will make you m,ore attractive to thers- and increase your likelihood of meeting a partner."

Negative thought no.3
"I DON'T LIKE MY MIRROR IMAGE"
As women ( or even guys today), we've probably all had days when we've looked in the mirror and not loved what we saw. (to me, somedays i look fat, somedays i look thin,haha!) But are we too hard on ourselves? " Putting surgery and the like aside, we're stuck with what we have; so we wither go throught life feeling miserable about our appearance, or we can accept what we are and get on things,"
" To rid that negative voice, we should think about ourselves more than just a physical entity. "Remind yourself of what strenghts, qualities and beautiful characteristics lie within-even if they're not visible in the mirror"
"you can learn to change your thought pattern in several ways. " each time you look in the mirror, ask yourself, 'What bits do I like? How can i focus more on these bits?,"
"And to say to yourself, ' So what if I don't like what I see in the mirror, others do!" ( or vice versa=))

Negative thought No.4
" MY FRIENDS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL"
We're all guilty of making comparisons, but it's unhealthy to do so at the expense of your own cnfidence.
Case in point L You may think your friend's prestigious, well-paying job is the souce of her happiness, leading you to question your own acheivements on the work front.(or school in that matter)
" Ask yourself, ' What does success look and sound like to me?"
" If, in one years time, your were reflecting on your life and decided you were successful, what would be different?
Then , work towards achieving this. Also, remind yourself that others oftenb overestimate the accomplishments of their peers because they only see the glossy side of their lives. In reality, everyone has hard times and self-doubts."
Social comparisons rarely lead to happiness so, instead, focus on what's important to you. If your friends really are successfull, be happy for them!


Negative thought no.5
"PEOPLE JUST DON'T 'GET ME"
Now this (belief) might be true or it might be a misinterpretation of realityl to determine which it is, check your facts.
You can do this several ways easily.
" Is there evidence to support this belief?"
Ask your friends and family and listen to what they say.
If its not true, then stop repeating it to yourself because it'll only make you feel uncomfortable. If, on the other hand, it IS true, then you might need to take come practical steps to improve your communication or interpersonal skills."
This can be achieved by developing a more positive attitude.
Establish more realistic expectations about those around you, and help them 'get' you
" This mindset can help you achieve stronger connections with others where you're both taking responsibility for making the relationship work."

Negative thought no.6
" THE WORLD'S A TERRIBLE PLACE"
With so much happening in the world at the moment, you can be forgiven for wishing some things were different (like the state of the economy!) But it's important not to lose perspective.
" There are, and always will be, bad things going on in the world. There are, and always be, bad people, injustive, inquality and much, mcuh more.
"But there are also many good things in the world; there are poeple developing cures for illness; there are people who volunteer to save lives and help those in needl there are some who donate time, money, and resources to wonderful charities and other causes...and this occurs everyday"
If you can at least take on a balanced view of the world, you'll experience more positive emotions, which will help you make a more productive contribution to the world.



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**