“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” Does that sound like some radical “New Age” thought to you? It wasn’t even new when Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180A.D.) said it.
All of us have the ability to change. However, the willingness to change is a different story. With each time we’ve come up short, failed or returned to our old behavior patterns, we may start to believe that it’s just too hard. Conquering negative thinking and bad habits may require some major shifts in perspective, not just at a mental level, but emotional and physical as well.
If you’re in a rut, if you’ve grown accustomed to tolerating intolerable situations, change may not be comfortable or feel easy. It takes willpower and courage to take an honest look at one’s life, discover what’s no longer working, and then shift it. Mark Twain reminds us, “Courage is mastery of fear — not absence of fear.” If you want things to be different, to be better, there needs to be a shift in what you think, feel and do.
This shift requires a strong mental attitude, which is built in the same way physical strength is gained — by repetition.
Manipulating weights builds the physical body. Manipulating thoughts builds mental strength. You may have a habit of negative thinking built up over years of repeating negative thoughts. Whether it’s about weight loss, fear, self-image, lack of confidence, how you deal with stress, smoking, etc. This repetition has made the habit strong. Focusing on the positive to effect change may seem difficult if you’re not in the habit of it. Think of it as a weak muscle in your mind. The way to make it strong is to exercise it. Use it often. Unlike physical exercise, you can’t overdo it. Decide what you want to be stronger in, and become strong by doing it.
If you’re ready to make a shift in your life and you’ve struggled doing it on your own, consider working with a professional who specializes in helping people change their lives. You’ll see it’s an amazing thing when shift happens.
Virgil F. Vasquez is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Counselor, Life Coach and lecturer, specializing with adults, teenagers and children. For more information, he can be reached at the Therapeutical Hypnosis Center at 661-607-8355 or please visit TherapeuticalHypnosis.com .