The Only Two Phrases You’ll Ever Need

Our mind is a powerful tool.  Unfortunately, that tool can be a “double edged sword”.  On the one hand it helps us solve problems, make decisions, and control our movements.  But then it can suddenly bring us to a “screeching halt”.

 As we continue on our path toward our next goal, the voice inside our head can produce fear and resistance. An average person has anywhere from 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day.  Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive. If we repeat those negative thoughts, we think negative way more than we think positive.

 To stay positive requires you to be conscious of your self -talk. There are two very simple phrases that I have found to be very effective in re-framing my thoughts.

 “Up Until Now”: Sometimes we look at the past as a predictor of our future. If it seems that you always choose the wrong kind of friend, you might think you will never have a circle of friends that truly care about you.  Rather than projecting that negative thought into the future, you simply re-phrase that thought to: I seem to choose the wrong kind of friend “up until now”.  You have the power to honor and learn from your past and examine what didn’t work in your relationships. Now take this new understanding, break free of your limiting beliefs and make new, better choices that will make you happy.

 “Oh, The Possibilities”: Wherever you are on your path in life, you need to be deliberate about what you want in your future.  You are like a gardener: if you want tomatoes, you don’t plant the seeds for green beans!  What seeds are you planting for your future?  While we don’t have a crystal ball to see the next 5 years, we can say “Oh, the possibilities”, imagine what we want and take one small step toward that possibility.  Keep taking the next small step and you will be led in your own right direction.

 “What lies before us or behind us pales in comparison to what’s inside us”

               – Ralph Waldo Emerson