by Heather | Feb 19, 2018 | challenges, general health
The Power of Your “Thoughts” Challenge
The most amazing things happen in life when you realize how powerful your mind and thoughts can be.
Let’s be honest about it… as adults, it’s easy to feel out of control. Between family, work and other obligations, there are times when you might not have control over even the simplest of things… like when you go to sleep or wake up.
But you know what? You always have control over one thing… YOUR THOUGHTS..
What you think about as you go through your day… and your perception of those things, has a huge impact on everything in your life.
This week, we’re going to turn our attention to the conversations that run through our heads. These “conversations”
happen almost all of the time without us even knowing about it.
Buddhists call this voice “the monkey mind.” But once you start paying attention to it, it’s pretty incredible to see how active and incessant these conversations can be.
It’s also surprising to see how much negativity can be whirling around in there.
When your thoughts are taking a negative turn…. and you’re PAYING ATTENTION to them, you then have the power to be able to instantly shift those thoughts to something more positive.
And believe it or not, negativity and pessimism is not only a choice… but it’s also a habitual thinking pattern for a lot of us. This means that it’s going to take patience and persistence over a PERIOD of time to improve it.
So start right NOW by paying close attention to the quality of your thoughts.
A quote that I love is: “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
When you notice thoughts that you’re not happy about, take a moment to acknowledge it- and shift that thought into something more positive.
Your mind can only be thinking ONE thought at a time. So be mindful of your thoughts. When YOU begin to control the conversation and not let your monkey brain rule your world… your life will begin to change in big ways.
Your challenge this week is twofold. First- to pay ATTENTION to the conversations running around in your head. The second, is to shift those negative thoughts into more positive and loving ones.
What do you think? Are you up for the challenge? Let me know in a comment below!
by Heather | Sep 5, 2016 | challenges, general health
Drop the Negative Self-Talk
Constructive self-evaluation is important because we get to reflect on things that have happened.
It also gives us insight into how we can grow and do things differently in the future.
Self-reflection is considerate and respectful inner dialogue.
Negative self-talk, on the other hand, drains our energy and confidence; triggers feelings of shame, sadness, 
frustration, embarrassment and hopelessness. It interferes with our progress and prevents us from moving forward.
Many studies show that harsh self-criticism causes higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
Now some good news! We CAN learn to speak to ourselves in a kinder and more respectful manner… but of course any change comes with practice.
Pay VERY close attention to your inner self-talk and the conversations in your head.
Here are a few exercises to consider when training your mind to think differently:
(Some of these might seem a little out there, but if you stay open-minded, this could have an incredible impact on you!)
- What would you say to a friend who is in the same situation? How would you talk to them? What advice would you give? Or… what would your best and dearest friends say to you in those moments?
- Be mindful of your thoughts and instead of telling yourself: “I’m so disorganized!” train yourself for success, “I’m not as organized as I’d like to be so I’m going to commit to cleaning one area of my home each week until I feel more organized.”
- Give your inner critic a name… it will be hard for you to take those inner remarks seriously if you say: “Oh, here’s that old Nag again!”
Brené Brown, PhD, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and author of The Gifts of Imperfection, calls hers “The Gremlin”.
- Shame breathes 3 things: fear, blame and disconnection. If you have any of these emotions running around inside your head, find the courage to call someone and talk about it! Make sure this person is supportive, and you’ll probably end up feeling a lot better and possibly even laugh about it.
- Embrace imperfection! Realize deeply that there’s nothing interesting about being perfect.
You know what else? No one ever inspires others by being bulletproof, but their willingness to mess up and try again!
Your task this week is to change your inner-self talk to something empowering and positive.
First, just become aware of the conversation going on in your head, and then use the strategies above that resonate with you to help shift the conversation.
Keep in mind this is something we ALL struggle with at some point or another.
Are you in!? Let’s all support each other because we’ve all got our own “stuff” to work on! J
Yours in good health,
Heather
Health Coach & AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
FitEffex@gmail.com
(508) 523-6143
