Positive speaking! Positive listening! Positive thoughts! Positive feeling! Even being positive!
Everyone seems to want you to live in the positive. How can you do this? Sometimes it seems overwhelming to go from what is safe to an unknown alternative. If you have lived with a negative inner critic, switching on the positive can be daunting. There are lots of quotes regarding the power of positive thinking. One that comes to mind is “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
When you read the word ‘lemon,’ does your mouth pucker up, and do you taste, for just an instant, the bitterness? Now as you read the word ‘lemonade,’ does your mind conjure up the image of a bight summer day when you were out playing with friends, laughing, being free, and the icy sweetness of the lemonade? That is what visualization can do for you. It helps to break the pattern of your negative inner critic and replace it with a positive image and voice.
The 17-Second Practice
Now, I never said that this was going to be easy, but with practice and visualizations you will be experiencing many more positive thoughts. By practicing thinking positive thoughts three to four times a day — for only 17 seconds at a time — and reinforcing these new patterns with visualizations you can quiet your inner critic. You will think and react more positively with no extra work; it will be natural and automatic. This practicing will only take 17 seconds! Though you may find thinking positively is hard at first, with practice it does get easier. Visualizations will help you embed these positive thoughts at a deeper level.
Breaking through the Fog
I have a client who came to see me who was filled with dread due to all the changes that were taking place in her life. Though many of these changes were heading her in a positive direction, she could only think of the bad things that were happening. She was filled with trepidation and became stuck. When we began the guided visualizations, having her experience where her life was headed, she was able to “break through the fog”. I am happy to say that she is no longer stuck in that downward spiral and is viewing her future with renewed vitality and zeal. Visualization helps you to experience the positive aspects at a very deep level.
This week, make a list of three positive visualizations – one about your body, one about your work, and one about your relationships. Every time you’re stopped at a traffic light, visualize one of them, e.g., visualize yourself strong and healthy. Or visualize yourself giving a fantastic presentation at work… or enjoying a healthy relationship… 17 seconds is all it takes!
If you are having trouble staying positive please contact me for a 30-minute complimentary consultation. I’ve helped many people move from self-criticism and doubt to creating a more joyful and fulfilling life for themselves. I would love to help you. Call Joy today at 415-819-8769 or email Joy@joyreichard.com
