As we continue to experience difficult times, it may feel like a tough time to be thankful. Yet practicing thankfulness is one of the most powerful ways to bring about a change in our circumstances. During difficult times, we may find ourselves struggling with thoughts of fear, self-doubt, worry, anger and depression. Besides negatively impacting our health and vitality, these thoughts don’t move us in a direction that serves our purpose -- in fact, they make matters worse.
One of the quickest and most powerful ways to create a change in our circumstances is to practice thinking thoughts of thankfulness. Thankfulness is one of the highest levels of consciousness, giving us the ability to see the myriad of possibilities, discover what we truly want, receive ideas on what to do next, and create and realize a vision for the future.
When you practice thankfulness, a physical and mental transformation occurs. Your brain begins perceiving even more to be thankful for. You find yourself focusing on your strengths. You’re smiling. Your spine straightens. The muscles in your face and neck relax and your breaths deepen. Your creative juices begin to flow and you get creative ideas on how to turn your situation around and move in a direction that inspires you.
Thankfulness takes practice, and just one of these practices brings dramatic improvement in our lives, our families, and our organizations.
1. List everything you are thankful for -- in your life, career, family, relationships, your body and its functionality, your strengths and skills, your values and personality, your home. If you are a business, list everything you are thankful for with your customers, suppliers, investors, employees, the industry, and specific customers, suppliers, investors and employees. Be sure to find something to be thankful for with respect to what you may be most unhappy about. If we hold contempt for anything we wish to change, we actually block our ability to change it.
2. At the end of each day, work backward and think of everything you are thankful for from that day. Our spirits are lifted when we are appreciative of even the smallest things.
3. Take note of what you are thankful for throughout the day—before or after a conversation, a telephone call, a meeting or a new task, and be thankful for each experience.
4. When you catch yourself thinking a worry, self-doubt, anger or other self-defeating thought, take a deep breath, first exhaling deeply, and ask yourself “What can I be thankful for in this moment?”
5. See what happens!
©2009 Managing Thought. All rights reserved.
For more on this topic and how to manage your thoughts in everyday circumstances and how to deal with the challenges you face in practicing self-awareness and being on purpose, Click Here.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Boost Your Immunity this Cold & Flu Season – through Self-Awareness and Managing Thought
It’s that time of year—what we have come to know as cold and flu season. We speak of it with such certainty, as if it were an impending doom. And that’s the problem. We think of the cold and flu season with certainty—as if it’s reality—and it is not reality. It is the reality we have created for ourselves.
Right now your brain might be saying, “Hey! That’s not true! Practically everyone I know gets a cold or the flu at this time of year.” It may even be citing statistics. Please thank your brain for sharing and remember, just because something is common, doesn’t mean it is normal, or natural, or true for you.
We act as if we are victims of cold and flu season. We aren’t. We are victims of our thoughts about cold and flu season, a slide we have put in our ViewMaster® And we can change the slide. We can start looking at our thoughts instead of from our thoughts and focus on what we want (good health and a strong immune system) instead of what we don’t want (cold and flu).
If you are thinking thoughts such as “I get a cold every November,” “Whenever I get a cold, it always turns into bronchitis,” or “When the kids come home sick, it’s just a matter of time before I catch it,” you are focused on what you don’t want. You are also instructing your brain to cause your body to get a cold every November, get bronchitis, and get sick with whatever your kids bring home. And your brain has no instructions to follow to help you cultivate health or strengthen your immune system. It’s too busy looking for evidence that it’s flu season!
So when you catch yourself with the Cold and Flu Season slide in your ViewMaster, take a moment to replace it with your Great Health and Strong Immune System slides and see what happens. Choose the I drink eight glasses of water a day and I add lemon juice to my water slide. Choose the I wonder what vegetables I can eat for lunch? or the Which cup of coffee can I replace with green tea? slide. Choose Where can I take my walk today and get some fresh air? slide. You can create slides that focus on taking time to be quiet each day, relaxing, laughing, practicing thankfulness, or doing the things you love to do. Choose the I notice I am in fight, flight, or freeze, exhale deeply, and choose a powerful thought slide.
When your brain receives these instructions, it searches for opportunities to make what you want a reality i.e. generates ideas to schedule your water breaks, notices vegetables on the menu, and finds the time for you to take walks, breathe, relax, or connect with your family and friends.
The information contained herein reflects only the opinion of the author. The information is made available with the express understanding that it is not to be considered medical advice. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of information contained herein. This information is in no way meant to treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness from happening. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
©2009 Managing Thought. All rights reserved.
For more on this topic and how to manage your thoughts in everyday circumstances and how to deal with the challenges you face in practicing self-awareness and being on purpose, Click Here.
Right now your brain might be saying, “Hey! That’s not true! Practically everyone I know gets a cold or the flu at this time of year.” It may even be citing statistics. Please thank your brain for sharing and remember, just because something is common, doesn’t mean it is normal, or natural, or true for you.
We act as if we are victims of cold and flu season. We aren’t. We are victims of our thoughts about cold and flu season, a slide we have put in our ViewMaster® And we can change the slide. We can start looking at our thoughts instead of from our thoughts and focus on what we want (good health and a strong immune system) instead of what we don’t want (cold and flu).
If you are thinking thoughts such as “I get a cold every November,” “Whenever I get a cold, it always turns into bronchitis,” or “When the kids come home sick, it’s just a matter of time before I catch it,” you are focused on what you don’t want. You are also instructing your brain to cause your body to get a cold every November, get bronchitis, and get sick with whatever your kids bring home. And your brain has no instructions to follow to help you cultivate health or strengthen your immune system. It’s too busy looking for evidence that it’s flu season!
So when you catch yourself with the Cold and Flu Season slide in your ViewMaster, take a moment to replace it with your Great Health and Strong Immune System slides and see what happens. Choose the I drink eight glasses of water a day and I add lemon juice to my water slide. Choose the I wonder what vegetables I can eat for lunch? or the Which cup of coffee can I replace with green tea? slide. Choose Where can I take my walk today and get some fresh air? slide. You can create slides that focus on taking time to be quiet each day, relaxing, laughing, practicing thankfulness, or doing the things you love to do. Choose the I notice I am in fight, flight, or freeze, exhale deeply, and choose a powerful thought slide.
When your brain receives these instructions, it searches for opportunities to make what you want a reality i.e. generates ideas to schedule your water breaks, notices vegetables on the menu, and finds the time for you to take walks, breathe, relax, or connect with your family and friends.
The information contained herein reflects only the opinion of the author. The information is made available with the express understanding that it is not to be considered medical advice. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of information contained herein. This information is in no way meant to treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness from happening. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
©2009 Managing Thought. All rights reserved.
For more on this topic and how to manage your thoughts in everyday circumstances and how to deal with the challenges you face in practicing self-awareness and being on purpose, Click Here.
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