Replacing Negative Habits With Positive Habits

So what they are saying is that within those 30 days, you should be able to eliminate one habit and replace it with another. Does it work? Personally I've never counted the days, so I can't say how long it took to replace negative thinking with positive thinking. But I can say that it's possible.

I can also say that it will take some work! Remember, you're trying to replace years of training, beliefs and ingrained teaching all within a 30 day period!

But I'm also a firm believer in the "Anything Is Possible," philosophy. And like everything else in life - that is important to you, it is going to take effort on your part to accomplish this.

I also believe that because we are constantly bombarded with some form of negativity on a daily basis, our lives will always be exposed to it on some level. The important point however, is how we deal with it.

Even today, negative thoughts will cross my mind. The difference however, is that I'm more aware and can stop them from completely materializing.

So the question remains. Can you develop positive thinking in 30 days? I believe you can become more aware of your thoughts. I believe you see things in a different light because of this awareness. I believe you become more focused on the bigger picture of your life, and will begin to realize that it's true - "You shouldn't sweat the small stuff."

You will discover that positive thinking in 30 days will lead to more than just positive thinking. It will also lead to a new way of looking at your surroundings, at people and at the situations you face daily.

You will realize that it's your life you're dealing with. And how your thoughts play a part in that life - for either good or bad.

But don't beat yourself up over this. Positive thinking is a work in progress. As time goes by, your awareness of your thoughts will increase and this will be a great help in controling your wayward mind.

The moment you eliminate negative thinking from your thought patterns, you shall have taken the most important step toward happiness, personal health and well-being. When you assume full control of your thoughts and emotions, disciplining them to remain directed towards positive thoughts, the quality of your inner and outer life will improve. Here are some of the ways to think positive and stop thinking negative:

Pay Attention To Your Negative And Positive Thoughts

Our thoughts are always with us, and no other person controls them for us. It is common for us to take for granted and pay little attention to our thoughts because of their constant presence. Perhaps, we should ask ourselves, "Are the thoughts I'm having influencing my actions and feelings in a negative way?" Unless we learn to be aware of our thoughts, we will not be able to change the negative thoughts to positive ones.

Minimise Your Negative Thoughts

The next step after being aware of negative thought patterns is to minimise them. You may employ thought interruption. Right after you realise that you are entertaining a negative thought, stop it. You may want to wear a rubber band on your wrist, and snap it when a negative thought comes to mind. This is to remind you to stop it. Try as much as possible to be objective about the situation. During times of conflict, an effective yardstick is to examine if your thoughts or actions are helping you attain your goal.

Increase Your Positive Thoughts

It is not automatic that you increase positive thoughts when you are able to minimise the negative ones. Here are some ways to help you increase your positive thoughts:

• Combat negative self-talk. If you remember a particular situation where you overreacted, it is beneficial to go over that situation once again and identify the negative self-talk. After you have identified it, come up with ways to dispute it.
• Replace negative thoughts with calming and coping ones. If you catch yourself thinking about a certain person in hostile terms, then stop and replace it with thoughts that highlight your ability to cope.
• Think and verbalise self-praise thoughts. Whenever you have accomplished something, give yourself a pat on the back. Give yourself credit for the things you accomplish each and every day.
• Use humour. It's not good to take yourself too seriously. Humour will abate anger and reduce depression. The ability to laugh at yourself is a gift, and it calms you down enough to ponder your situation more rationally.

These steps will help you stop the negative cycle of thoughts and emotions, and start thinking positively. If you don't find and fix the negative cycle, it would only lead to even more negative emotions or thoughts. It is vital that you break the negative cycle and get back on the positive track as quickly as you can.

Go From Positive Thinking In 30 Days To Words Of Affirmation