Get Positive: Five Steps for Letting Go of Limiting Thoughts and Beliefs

What are some of the common thoughts that flash across your mind? Are they positive and uplifting, or do they focus on what is wrong and bring up visions of worst case scenarios? For many of us, our thoughts are a mixture of both. But, the real question is which ones do we focus on and believe.

Recently, someone I love was diagnosed with a medical condition that would require brain surgery. The very first thought that flashed in my mind was that he could die. It was not just a thought. There was an actual vision of it happening on the movie screen in my mind. I must admit that I spent quite a bit of time imagining what could go wrong before I became aware of what I was doing. Why is it that the first thing we do in these situations is envision the worst case scenario? What would happen if our go to thoughts were about best case scenarios, instead?

Many of our thoughts and beliefs are based on programming from our childhood. Our family culture, school and other environments help shape the way we think. And, it is not always good stuff. When we spend time feeling sad or angry over things that happened long ago, we are allowing our past to control us. When we feel stuck and cannot move forward it is because fear based on our thoughts and beliefs is keeping us caged.

The truth is that we can reprogram ourselves. Changing our thoughts is a choice. When I became aware of my focusing on the negative about my loved one's health problems, I knew that I could choose something different. The negative thoughts kept returning and I kept letting them go until it began to happen more naturally. And now they seem to be gone.

I had the benefit of my training as a coach to help me in this process, and I am sure you can do it too. Here are some steps that might support you in the process:

1. Awareness - pay attention to your thoughts and notice when they are not serving you.
2. Question your thoughts and beliefs - Do you know absolutely, without a doubt, that they are true?
3. Understand the consequences of your thoughts and beliefs- How do they make you feel? How do they affect your life? Is that what you want?
4. Action - make a choice, relax and let them go. Replace them with neutral or positive thoughts. (See my article: Fun Ideas for Changing Your Negative Thoughts and Beliefs.)
5. Acknowledge yourself for your commitment to having a better life.

And, remember, you might not want to believe everything you think.