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Diet & Nutrition

2011-11-17 13:36:34

Positive thinking

Q: How can I reach my goals and stay positive when I keep thinking negatively?

A: The little voice in your head; everybody has one. It’s your subconscious mind giving you cues about what actions you take, what feelings to feel and what to believe about any given situation. Your subconscious is developed through the people you’re around and what you choose to read, watch and listen to. Messages become embedded in your brain when you hear them over and over again and determine how you react and respond in any given situation. When the messages you hear over and over are positive, the result is high self esteem, a healthy body and healthy relationships. When those messages are negative, the opposite occurs. I’ve shared before that I worked hard for many years overcoming negative voices that told me I wasn’t good enough, or “I couldn’t” do or be certain things. I learned something this week though, old voices may never go away; however, I choose whether I let them control me by accepting their inaccuracies as true. Constantly reaffirming my ability and inner strength, and surrounding myself with positive people helps me push through and reach my goals and the same is true for you. Here’s what happened. I brought some trainers in to certify my staff to teach our new Pink Gloves Boxing class. We trained for two solid days learning a years’ worth of skills needed to lead our classes. Needless to say it was pretty tough. At the end of the second day, we tested for our certifications. It required us to do ladders hops for 2 minutes, shadow box for 2 min, hit the bag for 2 minutes, two 2 minute rounds with the trainer on the mitts and finish with a minute of burpees. I exercise every day but this was hard. Since I’m the leader, I was selected to go first. About the time I got to the bags, I thought I was going to die. I heard all those old voices in my head screaming, “You can’t do this!” I was taken aback since I have worked quite hard to rid my brain of their bashing. However, I was determined to finish my test and work as hard as I possibly could. I had quite a battle going on. “You can’t do it!” my negative voices shouted. “Oh yes I can,” I exclaimed! I laid into the bag determined to beat the junk fighting for space in my brain. My staff accompanied me to each station, cheering me on, encouraging me every step of the way. Their voices combined with mine, smothering all negative thoughts. Knowing that people I care about were behind me helped me overcome. The last minute of burpees was crucial. I absolutely refused to give up. I was exhausted but I finished! Drenched in sweat and breathing hard, I began crying; tears of victory, tears of accomplishment, and tears of overcoming. I realized in that moment those old negative thoughts will always be a part of me, indeed they have shaped me into the women I am today. They may never leave, but I’ll not allow them to ever take up residency in my head and dictate my ability. Dismissing negative thoughts as inaccurate, diminishing their hold on your actions by constantly reaffirming your ability and surrounding yourself with positive, encouraging people gives you the strength you need to accomplish your goals.