Train Your Brain For Positivity

Are you looking for tools that you can use to silence your inner critic or train your brain to channel positivity? Emotions are a powerful force in determining the quality of your day.     Positive emotions provide the fuel for travelling the road to fulfillment. Negative emotions drain the fuel from your tank and can result in inertia or stagnation.

Your inner critic thrives on negative emotions. Quiet your inner critic by taking some positive steps, such as:

1. Notice – What are your emotions, fears, or complaints as you start the day? Recognize and name them.  Are you starting the day with negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness or fear or positive emotions of happiness and joy?

2. Identify the triggers – What is behind the negative emotions? Is it a fact or is it an interpretation, assumption or complaint? Is there something real that is triggering the emotion, such as an upcoming presentation, sales call, job interview, or deadline of some type? Or is it an interpretation or assumption that exists only in your head? Interpretations and assumptions are not real – we do not see, hear, sense or notice them. Examples typically include feelings of inadequacy such as “I’m not good enough” or “My boss (teacher, co-worker, acquaintance) doesn’t like me”

3. Plan an action – If the trigger is a fact, determine whether it is actionable. Can you do something about it or is it beyond your control? What action can you choose to take?

4. Create a Powerful Stand for the Day – Create a positive mindset for the day by focusing on something that is within your personal power to bring to your life today. Your stand for the day is not a fix for the negative trigger. Rather, it is a replacement for the inner critic. As examples, consider filling in the blanks in one of the following sentences:

• I will bring ________ to the world today.  (energy, joy, gratitude, patience, compassion, empathy, etc.)
• My life is about __________ .  (growth and development, discovery, possibilities, love, acceptance, etc.)
• I am ______________ .  (powerful, wise, curious, generous, love, creative, confident, beautiful, serenity, etc.)
• I _____________ myself.   (accept, trust, love, etc.)

5. Make a visual of your Stand for the Day – Post it where you will be reminded of it throughout the day. An example would be to write it on a post-it note and put it somewhere on your desk, near your computer, or on a mirror.

Learning to silence an inner critic, create an empowering story, fuel positivity and generate feelings of well-being are benefits gained from working with a professional coach. Contact me today for a complimentary consultation.