One of the easiest paths to your best life is to have an attitude of gratitude. Even so, it sometimes seems easier to give in to life blockers–fear, guilt, anger, self-sabotage, laziness, envy, and focus–and reflect on the negativity, difficulties, and challenges in your life.
But once you realize that focusing on the negative does nothing more than cloud the beauty of the present, only then can you start taking steps toward the life you dream of and deserve.
Start by looking at how you respond to life’s difficult moments. Are you someone who immediately jumps into action? Do you magnify what’s wrong in your life and forget to appreciate the good? Or do you give up before you start, admitting defeat without looking for an opportunity to grow?
Here are four strategies that can help you overcome negative self-talk:
- Take responsibility. You are in control of the situation. By holding yourself accountable, you are liberated to use whatever resources it takes to turn things around. See it as an opportunity to grow even stronger in your life journey. Life’s challenges don’t decide our future. Our reaction to those challenges sets the course. Search for one good thing that may result from your current situation that will better prepare you as you continue down the path to your best life.
- Let go of what you cannot control. When we worry about what’s to come or stress over the difficulties in our life, it only magnifies the situation. Whenever you find yourself thinking negative thoughts toward your situation, turn those thoughts into prayer. Furthermore, take a few moments and appreciate all the good in your life. When you get lost in the blessed moments, you begin to magnify the beauty in your own life.
- Wake up with the thought that something extraordinary is going to happen. The thoughts you start your day with set the tone for the rest of your day. When faced with a challenging and busy day, spin your way of thinking by viewing what your life will look like on the other side of the challenge. You can also start your morning with positive quotes and words of encouragement.
- Once you’ve overcome a challenge, hold tight to the lessons you’ve learned and leave the rest behind. Don’t let the past hold you back from your dreams and hopes for the future. Instead, look on the challenge as a stepping stone to your ultimate goal, which is to achieve balance in an unbalanced world.