You Are What You Think

“Think left and think right and think low and think high.

Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

Man, I LOVE Dr. Seuss books! They let us dream. They encourage us to imagine the impossible, or even better yet, to take the impossibility out of the picture altogether. They take us to another place and time; when we were invincible, energized, and optimistic. They remind us of a time when we truly believed that anything was possible. And so…what happens? We grow up. Life comes at us fast and hard and somewhere along the line we lose our thinks. We’ve tried and failed, and we get so jaded we forget to think high. We’ve risked and gotten hurt, so we forget to think low. And sooner or later, we stop trying. Now OK, I realize that I’m over-dramatizing here, but you get my point. When you stop thinking good things about yourself and wishing good things for yourself, those things stop happening.

This past year, I’ve been working really hard on my internal messaging-how I talk to myself. And let me tell you, the work that I’ve put into re-thinking my thinks has gone a long way. Are you saying to yourself right about now “what on earth are you talking about Tara”? Let me give you a few examples.

Reframing Your Thoughts

I only walked a mile today. BETTER- I walked a mile today and I feel great. EVEN BETTER- I walked a mile today and I’m going to walk a little bit farther tomorrow.

I’m trying to eat healthier. BETTER- I am going to eat healthier. EVEN BETTER I am going to eat healthier and can’t wait to get started, right now.

So what are we doing here? We’re taking out the negative words- only, try. And we’re replacing them with positive actions, feelings and outcomes- I feel great. I’m going to do a little more tomorrow. I am going to. I can’t wait to get started.

Positive Affirmations

When some of you see the words Positive Affirmations, maybe you start to think about Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live? “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” While some of you may think that Positive Affirmations are cheesy, they work! They help you to think high. Positive Affirmations don’t have to be cheesy and they don’t make you arrogant or overconfident (hopefully). Positive Affirmations help you to think the best thinks about yourself.

Every week I have a new Positive Affirmation, depending on what’s going on in my week. This week, because I’m going through my Weight Watcher’s leader training, my Positive Affirmation is “I’m strong and courageous”.  I’ve repeated this in the car. I’ve said this at my desk. And today, when I had myself a little panic moment during training, I went to the bathroom, took a deep breath, and said out loud “I AM strong and courageous”. My heart rate started to slow and my confidence started to go up and I actually believed in what I was saying.

This week, I encourage you to think about the thinks you think. How are you talking to yourself? What words are you using? What emotions are tied to them? Do they make you want to think low and think high? Do they make you want to give something new a try?

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara