http://www.care2.com/greenliving/believe-yourself-to-be-what-you-want.html
Believe Yourself to Be What You Want
Adapted from Tea Bliss, by Theresa Cheung (Conari Press, 2007).
If you think sad, bad, or negative thoughts, you are going to feel bad. If you’re unhappy, you may not realize the relationship between your thought processes and your mood. Need convincing? Try this little exercise:
Think of a time in your life when you enjoyed yourself. It might have been a holiday or a trip to the park. As you think about that time you may feel a bit happier. Now think of a time when you were sad, like at a funeral, and you will probably feel quite down.
Your thoughts can be your best friends or your worst enemies. They can lift you up, and they can pull you down. If you want to feel happier and calmer, you need to become aware of the way thoughts affect you and to start questioning negative thoughts. You may argue that this isn’t realistic. You’d like to be more positive, but life is tough and chances are things won’t work out the way you want. You’re right. It is unrealistic to expect positive outcomes to everything; when you do, you set yourself up for disappointment. But the next time you are negative about something or tell yourself that you are useless or you can’t cope, ask yourself instead, “Am I being realistic? Are my thoughts misleading me? Am I taking into account other possibilities?”
Don’t believe everything you think! Question it. You don’t always believe what other people tell you or what you read in the papers, so why accept everything your thoughts tell you? You don’t need to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, but you do need to start replacing them with more realistic ones.
What is your biggest challenge in extricating old negative thoughts?
More on Exercises (175 articles available)More from Annie B. Bond (3188 articles available)
Annie B.
Melissa
Jana
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Heather L.
Lynn
Carl
Betsy
Cait
Avery
The Gallands
Eric
Andrew
Dave
Deepak
16 comments
add your comment »Wow,that is 100% true...well i will think about this:)...thanks
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
thank you!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
thank you!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
thank you very much
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
HELLO, I'VE BEEN REALLY TRING TO VISUALIZE WHAT I REALLY LOOK LIKE INSIDE WHEN i'M RELATING TO NEGATIVITY. It really look dark hopless and lonely. I try to quickly change my vision to light, peace, brilliant colors and awesome scenery and I tell myself I want more of this coming to me inside instead of the negative darkness. it helps I've also been reading A Course in Miracles it places me in a peaceful state of mind. take care. We all truly deserve a peaceful state of mind it's our birth-right.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I have found and suggested (as is my perceivec duty)the keeping of a daily DEATAILD,journal !!!!And found that even if the day under scruitny has seemed shall i say ordinary,then fill in the DETAIL,with sensations like "when i was out driving today i smelt and felt the windd flapping at my white shirt sleeves(BLOUSE")This method is also great for "existensialisim"in a way of day dreaming,for when we are in our homes on a typicall winters day.Still we assured that somehwe the sun is shining, somewhere!!!then and therofore ,that sun IS shining,for YOU through YOU from YOU. LOVE -PEACE. RAY
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I was just thinking of the best days I'd ever spent; in Ireland riding my bicycle through the fields of green. Exercising; riding 30-miles/day in the freshest Aire. Oh, the memory of EIRE! Thanks. Just reminiscing with a friend over in Ireland now online.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
As they say, why be sad when you can be glad! Sounds easier said done but there's practical wisdom in the concept.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Dwelling on negative thoughts is an ongoing problem for me. I have started to pay attention to my thought patterns and when I find myself being negative I think or say, "Stop it!!" This is surprisingly effective for me.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
'Between stimulus and response lies a gap and within that gap lies the seed to our growth and evolution' I read this somewhere and it really resonated with something i've always known. I'm now training myself to stop before I'm tempted to react impulsively.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?