Shedding Light On Positive Thinking

We create our own realities with the millions of thoughts that are constantly occuring in our minds. So, if the thoughts are negative, the perceived reality in which we live will also be negative.

If your thinking patterns have always leaned more towards negativity, it can be difficult to imagine an alternate way of looking at your life. However, it is possible to turn it around.

Positive thinking is a conscious effort, and may be especially challenging if your outlook is largely pessimistic.

The immediate reflex when having bad thoughts is to respond emotionally. Sometimes (and usually most often) these reactions are the snowball that make the entire situation turn into a lasting negative reality. If you understand that thoughts are not real, that they are simply mental processes, you'll probably feel you have a little more control over your life and the emotions that drive you.

Thoughts are not tangible, yet they affect our lives very deeply. When the sense of doom and gloom creeps in, the first step to positive thinking is to recognise that it's happening and acknowledge the negative direction in which your attitude and emotions are headed. Allow yourself to feel it momentarily, focusing on not letting the feelings take over as they're so accustomed to. By giving yourself permission to think these thoughts, you've begun to diminish them. These bad thoughts are part of the egoic mind and the ego begins to dissolve the moment you become conscious of it. See also my hub 'Beware of The Ego'.

In the next moment, your goal is to challenge the negative thoughts by finding opposite positive thoughts to replace them with. For example, let's imagine that you're upset that you didn't get the promotion you were hoping for and you have acknowledged that your negative thinking is making you feel unworthy and unappreciated by your boss. Now is the time to consciously turn these negative thoughts around and find a way to think more positively about the situation. While you recognise your own disappointment, you are taking responsibility for yourself and your life by challenging these bad thoughts. A positive thought could be that you are good at what you do. Another one may be a list of specific skills and qualities you possess.

Essentially, the importance in this challenge is to shed positive light on yourself and look inwards for the true qualities that are there in spite of the outward circumstances you're in.

Everyday Positive Thinking by Louise L. Hay contains positive affirmations and quotes by leading authors and motivational speakers, and is helpful in sparking positive changes in thinking.

Once you can focus on a positive thought in a situation, it must be validated and solidified. Just as our negative thoughts become reality, so must the positive ones. It's the only way to begin to break the cycle. A positive thought can be turned into a mantra that you repeat to yourself. It can be journaled in an affirmation journal so that you can internalise it, or written on a small notepaper that you keep within your sight. You could also use daily affirmation cards.

Regardless of your choice, positive thinking will only start happening once you make it a habit to reverse negativity in a concrete way and practice it repeatedly.

Another important part of making positive thinking a staple in your life is to express gratitude. While it is so common for us to focus on what we don't have, it is so much better to turn that around and recognise the blessings instead. Whether you give silent thanks to the Universe or shout it to the world, remember to BE grateful. Start small, and acknowledge immediate things. It will get easier to do as long as you stick with it, even through the dark times. Gratitude is an expression that gives back to your soul and before you know it, negative thoughts are fleeting, and you feel happier, even through challenging times.

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A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.

~ Mahatma Ghandi

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When all this inward work has begun, it will need to be sustained. You'll want to avoid situations and people that affect your ability to stay positive. This might not always be possible (think workplace and family gatherings!) so you'll want to be armed with your best possible outlook and be on the lookout for negative thoughts lurking. So, to keep the negative thoughts and outlook at bay, create an environment that is conducive to positive thinking. Like attracts like. The more you surround yourself with positive people, the easier it will become for you to deflect negativity or succumb to it.

Pursue relationships with people who look for the bright side of every situation, and aspire to be that way too. If you have the opportunity, attend self-improvement workshops. Read books on personal growth, self-help and spirituality. By keeping positive energy in your life, it will be harder to revert back to your old, dark ways.

An important thing to remember about changing negative thoughts into positive ones is that it won't happen without effort and dedication. You'll may sometimes need to dig really deep inside to find the willingness to push through, but with steadfast determination and and earnest desire to improve your life, you will find yourself in a much better place and seeing the world very differently.

One of the leading teachers of positive thinking is Byron Katie. She is a best-selling author and the founder of The Work, a self-directed method that teaches people how to end their own suffering.

Through The Work, anyone with an open mind can learn to identify, question, and heal the thoughts that cause them pain. Katie not only teaches that all the problems in the world originate in our thinking: she gives us the tools to open our minds and set ourselves free.