How to Create Positive Mind Whispers

It's difficult to heal when negative thoughts control you. Here's what you can do to turn them around.

Mind whispers. Do you have them? Most of us do. You know--that little voice in your mind that whispers praise, encouragement and satisfaction, or criticism, self-doubt and fear. You can learn a lot about yourself from your mind whispers, especially from the negative ones.

How you think influences how you act. Negative mind whispers may cause you to shudder, but you have the power to turn them around. The following tips will help you get the best results from these exercises.

Tips:
*Write your responses as you work through the following exercises.
*Writing makes what you're doing concrete and accessible.
*It's easier to change when you're in the present moment.
*This isn't a race. Change takes time, so pace yourself.

Exercise 1:
Recall one or two of your most annoying mind whispers and answer the following questions:
*What circumstances precipitate them?
*How do you respond?
*Does your response lift you up or drag you down?

Exercise 2:
Examine the following statements in light of your answers to the above questions:
*Circumstances are triggers that elicit a response.
*I am responsible for how I respond.
*My behavior influences my emotions.

Exercise 3:
Select one negative mind whisper you want to change.
*Write three statements about yourself that debunk this negative.
*Choose one action that supports each statement.
*Practice these actions to experience yourself in a new way.
*Reward yourself as you turn your negative whispers around.

When you let go of the negative, you rid yourself of old labels. No approach to change is magic, you have to work at it. As you do, you will develop greater skill in picking up on not only how your negative thoughts influence your behavior, but also, how you can create strategies to turn these negative whispers into positive ones. You can do this! nnnn