Another article in the ‘Daily Action For Self Improvement’ series, articles focusing on the personal development and growth actions you can take daily to support a high level of happiness and satisfaction in your life. In looking what you can do each day to support what you want in your life - check your thinking throughout the day. Ask a simple question of yourself, “Am I a magnet for what I want?” You see, your predominate thoughts direct your magnet. Unfortunately, spending a lot of time thinking about what we don’t want seems to be the norm. But doing this just defines your creation magnet - so you are essentially requesting more of what you don’t want. You do this when you re-play in your head; What you don’t like, What you are upset about, What you worry about, What you are afraid of And, this is so easy to do, it is automatic. But it doesn’t have to be. You can stop and shift ‘thought gears’ whenever you want. The first option is to switch your focus onto something, anything that you can feel good about. Get yourself to delve into this topic for a while to divert your attention. It is easier to replace thought with another thought than it is to try to get yourself to just stop the current thinking. Replace your thought with something desirable. A second option when you catch yourself stuck in ‘the negative thought spiral’ is to look for the opposite of what you are thinking. Usually at the opposite of a dislike is something you would want. Identify this and place your focus on it, allowing yourself to feel better. Wherever your mind is - you are seeking more, even if it is what you don’t want. So, train yourself to not remain in that state of whirling around in what you don’t want - use that to look for the opposite, what you do like. Or even just switch to thinking about anything to get your mind into a happier place. To get yourself to begin to notice more often what you are thinking about try this: Get a 3 x 5 card to take with you for the day. Write on it - “What am I thinking about right now?” “Does it make me happy?” “What else can I be thinking?” Keep this where you will see it often. It’s good to put it somewhere where you will accidentally notice it without thinking about it. This helps you catch yourself off guard so you can take notice of your thoughts. Using a tool like this can help you to learn to take more notice to what you are thinking all the time. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can decide if you want to change them. John Halderman John Halderman teaches and writes in the areas of personal growth and development focusing on effective methods for self actualization, increased satisfaction and happiness. For more: http://www.effectivepersonaldevelopmentblog.com http://www.designalifesystem.com

What is your mind doing all day long when you are doing what you do?

It is very common to find yourself asking yourself questions, which is a very powerful personal growth tool that you should be using.

If that is, if you want to discover ways to improve your life and reduce your stress and anxiety.

But, many times the questions that you are asking yourself are more of the negative vein.

Like-

Why does this always happen to me?

What is wrong with me?

Why don’t they like me?

Why is it always so hard for me?

Why can’t I always screw up?

Why do they do this to me?

Now, can see that these seem innocent enough, but they are actually very damaging if you persist with this line of questioning.

It is actually a form of complaining.

When you continuously repeat those kinds of questions you are just reinforcing what you don’t want.

These are actually negative affirmations that you are hammering in to your mind.

There is a way to reverse this negative thought bombardment on your mind.

You need to become aware of your mind chatter and what you say to yourself all day long.

This way you will catch these innocent questions early before repeating them for a time.

Now these are natural questions that come up when you are in certain situations, this is natural.

But the trick is to quickly flop them around to an opposite positive statement of something you do want.

Then when you say this positive statement or question you are actually seeking a solution based response from your inner self and the universe.

Such as-

What can I do to help them to like me?

What is the best way to do this?

What can I do to do this well?

What outcome do I want with this?

How can I get the outcome I want?

What can I do right now to change the way I think about this?

Of course you can get more specific to the situation at hand.

Flipping a negative question is easy, just rewrite it based on what you want.

With any thing you don’t want, like, have, feel or do - you can then look to its opposite - what you do want.

That is what you should be keeping your mind on.

Your subconscious and the universe responds to your thoughts.

Take command of your thoughts and guide your life experience to how you want it.

John

“Whatever commands our time, energy and resources, commands

us.” — Tom Sine

“He who cannot command himself should obey. And many can command themselves, but much is still lacking before they can obey themselves.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“The answers you receive

depend upon the questions you ask.” — Thomas Kuhn

“Great minds ask great questions.” — Michael Gelb

“If we would have new knowledge, we must get a whole world

of new questions.” — Susanne K. Langer

“Every clarification breeds new questions.” — Arthur Bloch

“The word question is derived from the Latin quarrier (to seek)

which is the same root as the word for quest. A creative life is

a continued quest, and good questions can be very useful guides.

Most useful are open-ended questions; they allow for fresh

unanticipated answers to reveal themselves.” — Source Unknown

“Asking the proper question is the central action of

transformation… Questions are the key that cause the secret

doors of the psyche to swing open.” — Clarissa Pinkola Estes