Is Negativity Holding You Back?

Negativity always finds a way to creep up on us from time to time. It's when negativity builds up too much or shows up too often that creates an obstacle. A negative attitude can hold you back from truly living your life. However, you don't need to feel stuck because you can bring positive thoughts back into your life!

How Negativity Can Hold You Back

Negativity can hold you back in a number of ways. Have you heard the saying: "If you think you can't, you're right"? It's true! Negative thoughts like this really do sabotage your efforts. The good news is that you can gain control over how you think. When you're expressing complaints and negativity all the time, it not only affects you, but it also affects the people around you.

Negativity, itself, can be the reason why you create roadblocks that don't really exist. So it's time to choose the positive (and, yes, it is a choice!).

Manifesting A Positive Attitude

When you adopt a positive attitude, you open yourself up to the wonderful world of possibilities. Believe it or not, positive thinking is very powerful. It's the driving force that steers your life into the direction of your dreams. Remember, your thoughts affect how you feel (emotions), and how you feel affects what you do. So if you can change your thoughts, you can change your outcome.

How To Develop A Positive Attitude

1. Visualize. When the negative thoughts come crawling into your mind, transform them with positive images. Visualize something that you find pleasing, peaceful, or exciting. Remember what your ultimate goals are and imagine what it feels like to achieve them. Feel that sense of accomplishment. Let yourself experience the emotions you associate with living the life of your dreams.

2. Write it down. Keeping a journal has many positive effects. It helps you vent your frustrations, organize your life, and reflect on your innermost thoughts and feelings. However, instead of focusing on the negative, use your journal to chronicle the things that have gone well in your life lately. Write about the things that you are grateful for. Gratitude is a very powerful emotion that helps you stay in a positive mind-set. We all have something to be grateful for.

3. Relax. Negative feelings are bound to arise when you're in a stressful state. It's important to take time out of each day for yourself. This means that you need to adopt a relaxation method that works for you. Perhaps you can take a bath, go for a walk, attend a yoga class, or meditate.

4. Live for the moment. Live your life for the moment and let go of everything else going on in your life. Negative feelings can easily overwhelm you if you're consumed by past failures or the fear of the future. When you concentrate on the present, your life becomes more peaceful and positive.

In the end, go easy on yourself. You don't need to be your own worst critic. Remember, believing in yourself is a choice.

Overcoming Fear and Taking a Risk

It's easy to stay put in your comfort zone and never take any considerable risks. After all, if you don't rock the boat, you can't fall into the sea. But without risk, there are few rewards.

Overcome Your Fears
You already know that taking risks can be scary. To build up the courage, you need to master your fears. However, if you've spent the better part of your life with fear, it could be deeply ingrained in your subconscious. Acknowledging that you're afraid to step outside your comfort zone is the first step. Here are a few tips on overcoming fear of change:

1. Recognize Your Fears. Recognize your fears for what they really are. You'll soon discover how your fears are limiting you by your emotional reactions to them. Accept that the fear is real, but challenge yourself to approach the situation objectively and from a distance in order to lower your emotional response.

2. Define Your Fears. Many times we're afraid of something because it remains in the unknown. We might label something as risky because we don't yet know or understand what's going on.

3. Jump Anyway. Don't let fear keep you from doing what you want to do. Acknowledge it, experience it, and then do it anyway.

Taking Risks
Once you deal with your fears, it's time to take some risks. Whether you realize it or not, you take risks everyday. Most risks are quite minor, but risk accompanies nearly every decision you make.

Here are some tips to help you get into a risk taking mindset:

• If the word "risk" sounds negative to you, instead think of it as more of an "adventure," "journey" or "challenge."
• Consider the reasons why you're hesitant to take a risk. What's the worst that can happen?
• Visualize a positive outcome. What does it look like? How does it feel?
• Write out a plan. When you have a plan in place, taking a risk is a whole lot less threatening.
• When you've taken the leap, evaluate your experience so you can improve in the future.
• Self-confidence is the most important ingredient to success.

Putting it all Together
Fear can be an uncomfortable feeling. If you're feeling tentative about the whole thing, get your feet wet with small steps. You can't expect yourself to change drastically overnight, but at the same time you have to believe in yourself and believe that change is possible.

Most of the good things in life require some kind of risk. Sometimes we fail, but there is always a lesson to be learned. Overcoming fears and taking risks go hand in hand and lead to personal growth. Start small and dream big.

9 Ways to Conquer the Fear of Change

Change can be a scary thing. When you make a change in your life, you bring yourself into the unknown. You travel from a safe place to one where you don't know exactly what will happen.

The truth is, there is nothing you can do to stop change. This world is always changing - sometimes for good and sometimes not. The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn the best ways to adapt to change. You'll soon learn that there's no reason to fear! Here is a list of strategies to conquer your fear of change:

1. Think Positive Thoughts. When you embark on a change in your life, think it through in a positive way. Instead of thinking about what could go wrong, picture it all going right.

2. Learning Life Lessons. Think about some of the past changes you've gone through in your life and include both the positive outcomes and the negative ones. Regardless of your past, it's likely that you've learned an important life lesson. Yet, if you keep your life stagnant, you'll lose out on the many important life lessons and experiences.

3. Write Your Thoughts Down. Writing down your innermost thoughts can provide a similar release as confiding with a close friend. Change can be scary, but if you provide yourself with a way to conquer the fear, you can find the courage underneath.

4. Try Hypnosis. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis techniques have been known to help when we need to alter our thinking. Hypnosis can help you relax by feeding you transformative thoughts.

5. Positive Motivation. If you want to get over your fear of change, you have to actually want the change. If you do, you'll do whatever it takes to get motivated. You can do this by reciting affirmations, writing directions down for yourself, or asking a trusted friend or family member for help.

6. Stay in the Present. Staying in the present moment can help you conquer any fear. It's far too easy for your mind to get caught up with regrets about the past or worries about the future. In moments of self-doubt, focus only on whatever you're doing at the moment. This moment is all you have, so you might as well enjoy it!

7. Break Down the Change. If you're planning a big change in your life, perhaps it will help to break down the change into a series of smaller steps. Doing so will help you to feel less overwhelmed if you can easily transition into a change instead of feeling shocked and scared.

8. The Right Time. Remember that it's always the right time to change. Don't make excuses for yourself. Believe that you can do it and go for it!

9. The Back Up Plan. When you embark on a path of change, it may be the unknown that scares you most. If possible, carefully plan through your change. Think about all the possible scenarios and outcomes - positive or negative - then make a plan. When you have a plan, you'll ease your fears of the unknown and feel at least a little more comfortable with the change.

Change for the Better: Change is going to find you one way or another, so you might as well earn how to go with the flow and learn how to let go. Sure, this is easier said than done, however, learning how to better adapt to change can improve all aspects of your life!

Letting Go and Making Space

What popped into your mind when you read the title of this post? It means something different for every person and changes often.

For me, today, it’s about “stuff.” My home is mostly neat and organized – except two spaces: the garage and an extra bedroom. These spaces are where I stick anything that doesn’t have a place. Things that should either be put away, given away or thrown away.

We hang on to all kinds of things: belongings, people, habits and beliefs. Often we hang onto them long past their usefulness. Too often, we define ourselves by these things -- which is why it is so hard to let them go.

So what was it that you first thought of when reading the title? Are you ready to let it go and make room for more in your life?

Because when you hang onto things that are outdated, you prevent something new and better from coming into your life. This applies to “stuff” as well as to people, relationships, bad habits, unfulfilling jobs, excess weight, and outdated or negative beliefs. Your ego forms attachments to things, people, habits and beliefs out of a desperate need to give form and definition to something that is formless and indefinable: you. You are not what you own, who you are in a relationship with, who your friends are, what your job is, what you believe or how much you weigh.

It’s only by letting go that you can receive. Let go of what doesn’t serve you… and I’m going to go clean out my garage.

Using Your Judgment... or Not

I wrote this post because a friend of mine recently posted a link on Facebook to a piece that had run in the Los Angeles Times. The Times article discussed how the issue of racial profiling was once again coming to light following the arrest of Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. in Massachusetts.

This started me thinking about why people make judgments. Not only against African Americans, but against any other race, culture, nationality or sexuality that is different from their own.

What is it that makes us react this way toward other human beings? The Chinese philosopher Confucius said “By nature men are alike. Through practice they have become far apart.”

It is our nature as human beings to judge everything that we see, hear, smell and touch. We do this every second of every day. The human brain constantly processes information, involuntarily, and makes decisions (judgments) about the information received. “I don’t like the way this tastes” is just as much a judgment as “I don’t like the way he looks.”

Our minds are programmed with information from the time we are born. We learn from our families, our friends, our societies and our own experiences. Many of these influences have made subconscious impressions on our minds and may have been passed down through generations of our family. These ideas that are imprinted on our subconscious may not have any applicability to our current life circumstance – yet they remain there, part of the filtering system that influences our thoughts, likes and dislikes.

It is impossible to turn off this part of your mind. But that doesn’t mean that you have to listen to it. Just because you think it, doesn’t make it true.

Think of your brain as a computer. It is constantly processing information and filtering data. However, the quality of the outcome (the millions of thoughts racing across your consciousness) is totally dependent on the quality of the programming (all of the information that you’ve been exposed to your entire life, including the opinions of other people, the media, childhood experiences, inherited beliefs). The end result? Sometimes your thoughts are wrong.

Remember that your thoughts are not who you are. Just because a thought passes through your mind doesn’t mean that’s how you really feel. The key is not reacting to negative thoughts. Stop and acknowledge that it was just a thought and nothing more.

So while you can’t control your thoughts, you can control your emotions and your reactions. Most people have it backward. They believe they can control what they think, but that they have no control over their emotions. Emotions and actions together form a reaction to the thoughts that you are having. You can choose to react or not to react.

The thoughts running through your brain constantly all day are not who you are – they are not you. They are your brain computing and processing information in accordance with what’s been programmed into it. Who you are is the being that responds to those thoughts. You can’t control every thought that goes through your mind but you can control your emotions and your actions and the way that you respond to your thoughts.

It’s not reasonable to expect yourself to completely stop having judgmental thoughts, or to never again have a single negative thought. It’s simply not possible. But it is possible to control the way that you respond to those thoughts.

When you have a thought that you don’t like, you have two options. If you are in a situation that you have time to examine where the thought came from (such as when you are meditating) then you can analyze and perhaps eventually stop having that thought because you are able to resolve the issues that caused the thought to arise. But, most often, in your day to day life when you have a thought you don’t like, you need to first acknowledge it “okay, I had that thought and I don’t like it,” and then dismiss it “I don’t need that thought, it doesn’t serve me.” Move on. Don’t waste time feeling guilty, that gives the thought power over you. Simply forget about it.

It's a Matter of Attention

One of the elements of success in any area of your life is attention. Things that are neglected will not thrive. This applies to your relationships, your career and your avocations. But you already knew that.

What you may not know is that attention is essential not just in the areas of your life that are of most importance to you, but in everything that you do. In order to be successful, you must give each task that you undertake your full, undivided attention. No matter how small or insignificant the task, how you do it is what makes the difference. Very successful people know that everything they do is the most important thing they do.

We tend to disregard tasks that we consider menial or boring and do not put much effort or consciousness into performing them because they “don’t really matter.” It may be true that the end result of a task is not important or consequential; however, the attitude that we bring to any such task – indifference, inattention, rejection – is important. This type of negative mind-set easily spills over into other areas of our work and lives.

Often, our egos cause us to discount certain tasks or jobs because we consider them “beneath” us or not worthy of our attention. If forced to perform this work, we do it reluctantly, with no interest or attention. Perhaps the work is simple and despite our inattention the result is good. However, consider what the result would be if the work were undertaken with our full attention. Would it be not just good, but outstanding? Is it possible that some knowledge or hidden opportunity could come to us if our minds were open to that possibility? Would our lives and the lives of the people around us be better if we undertook that work with a good attitude and happiness rather than with irritability or apathy?

In his book A New Earth – Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, Eckhart Tolle says, “Not what you do, but how you do what you do determines whether you are fulfilling your destiny.” Tolle goes on to say that if you are not doing in a state of either acceptance (of something you dislike), enjoyment (of something you like) or enthusiasm (of working toward a goal), you are creating suffering for yourself and others and your outcome will suffer as a result.

Give it a try. The next time you find yourself mindlessly performing a task or grumbling about something that you don’t like to do, stop and take a minute to readjust your attitude. Be grateful that you are alive and able to physically perform the task. See if by shifting your perspective you are able to find something good in the work, or perhaps a way of improving it.

“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Negative Self Talk: How to Turn it Around and Coach Yourself to Success

Why is it that we speak more kindly to our friends, neighbors and family than we do to ourselves? What would happen if you routinely called your best friend names like stupid, fat or boring? That person probably wouldn’t be your friend for very long.

Yet, we talk negatively to ourselves all day, most of the time without even being aware that we are doing it. Sometimes we disguise negative self talk as humor, “I was having a dumb blonde moment!”

The majority of the time, the thing we tell ourselves isn’t even true. It’s a distortion of reality, a false perception rather than fact, a harsh judgment.

Negative self talk leads to stress and lower self esteem. So, why do we do it?

Fear of Failure

Sometimes we engage in negative self-talk because we are fearful or uncomfortable. We are afraid of a new challenge or anxious about facing a difficult situation. So, we tell ourselves that we can’t do it because we aren’t good enough. We’d rather think of ourselves as inferior than risk embarrassment or failure. We let ourselves “off the hook” with negative self-talk and our anxiety is reduced.

Negative Self-Talk Impedes Your Success

Success is a direct result of your thoughts and expectations. Our thoughts are one of the few things in our lives that we control, and our thoughts influence our actions and reactions. Our negative self-talk can keep us from taking action and cause us to give up on our dreams and aspirations.

By engaging in negative self-talk, we allow ourselves to behave as victims. It’s easier and more comfortable than risking failure or facing our anxiety. But you are not a victim – you choose and create the outcome of your life through your actions. By learning to stop negative self-talk, you can free yourself to go after the things that you really want in life.

How to Stop Negative Self-Talk

Focusing your thoughts on what you want, rather than what you don’t want, is a great tool for turning around negative self-talk. As soon as you become aware of a negative thought, cut it off by thinking or saying “Stop.” Once you’ve gotten your attention, ask yourself this question:

“What do I really want?”

What is it that you are afraid of asking yourself for? Realize that your negative self-talk is just an excuse for not having what you want. Realize that you have to take responsibility for your life and the actions that will lead to your desired outcome.

Face Your Fear

Fear is a part of life. A lot of the best things in life require taking some risks. Sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes we fail, but we always learn from these events. Think of how many failed experiments have lead to great discoveries and new inventions!

Often, we imagine the consequence of risk to be far worse than it really is. Remember that you judge yourself far more harshly than others will. Try to keep this in mind when you weigh the risk of embarrassment.

Coach Yourself to Success

Once you’ve identified the underlying anxiety or unfulfilled desire that is the cause of your negative self-talk, you can start to reframe your thoughts in the positive. Think of the upside – identify the opportunity. Encourage and believe in yourself. Be kind.

Try to find something good in every situation and restate your thoughts in the positive. Instead of “I didn’t get the promotion because I’m not smart enough,” try “Since I didn’t get the promotion this time, I don’t have to work those longer hours and can use that time to take a class or learn a new skill that will help me get an even better job.”

Replace “I can’t do this!” or “This is too hard for me!” with “What is the first step in accomplishing this task?” or “How can I handle this better?” You may not have all of the answers yet, but at least you’re asking questions and opening yourself up to the possibility of success.

Affirmations can be a powerful tool in maintaining a positive mindset. However, be careful when using affirmations. Make sure that they are possible for you. Using an affirmation that your subconscious can’t believe will lead to frustration and more self doubt. For instance, no matter how many times I affirm that “I am the Queen of England,” it’s simply not true and there is no way I can make myself believe that it is true.

Use the following affirmations to change negative self-talk into positive beliefs about yourself:

• I deserve to treat myself with kindness and respect
• I am proud of all of my accomplishments
• I give myself permission to face my fears
• I recognize my many strengths

Acknowledge your fears, but don’t let them stop you from moving forward. You deserve to feel good about yourself and you deserve success!

Being Present... Right Now!

We live in a very fast-paced society. Everyone has somewhere to go and they're in a hurry. We are all in a rush to succeed, improve, surpass, achieve, acquire... always looking for the next best thing. Ironically, our overwhelming desire for improvement is one of the things that prevents us from growing.

When you are constantly thinking about the future, you are not living in the present moment - or in the "now" as we like to say. The same problem occurs if you are always thinking about the past. But, I'll leave "letting go of the past" for the next blog.

Living in the present moment, or practicing mindfulness, does not mean that you can't plan ahead or look forward to your future. It simply means that you give your full attention to what you are doing right now and take the time to enjoy and be grateful for the experience. As the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has written, "Imagine the power of our actions if each one contained one hundred percent of our attention." Mindfulness not only serves to improve our relationships, but improves our productivity and leads to greater success in all areas of our lives.

As you read this, take a moment to be aware of the thoughts going through your mind. Are you thinking about what you're going to do tomorrow? about the dishes in the sink? about the unread emails in your in-box? These thoughts are preventing you from being present in THIS moment and giving your full attention to what you are doing right now.

Just before I sat down to write this, my little dog was begging me to play. He loves me to chase him around the house while he plays keep away with his favorite toy. As I was chasing him, I became aware of my thoughts. I was thinking that I could "only do this for a minute," and that I had to "get back to writing." I realized that I was not taking any joy in the act of playing with my dog and that by not giving my full attention to what I was doing I was cheating both of us out of the happiness of that moment.

How many times a day do we have similar experiences, particularly with our children? Sometimes it's very hard to focus on child's play when there are so many things on our minds, so many things to be done. Our inability to be present in the moment is detrimental to our relationships with our children. Children know when you aren't really paying attention to them, when your mind is on other things. They are so much more intuitive than adults. We are all born with the ability to experience happiness in the present moment, but this vital trait is suppressed as we age and become affected by the world around us.

Mindfulness is not an easy concept to understand or to master. We are a society of multi-taskers. But all of this multi-tasking has caused even greater dissatisfaction with our lives. We are busier than ever, and more unfulfilled than ever. Often, we are doing many, many things but failing to any of them really well. If we are not able to take the time to appreciate what we have right now, in this very moment, we will be perpetually dissatisfied with our lives, always seeking something better and never finding it.

So, how do you practice mindfulness? Simply recognizing the need for mindfulness is the first step. Once you are aware, you will catch yourself having those racing thoughts and remember to slow down. Try giving your full attention to every action, whether it's washing the dishes, mowing the lawn or hugging your child. Think only of what you are doing at that moment, how it feels, the sights, sounds and smells. Take time to feel the joy in the ordinary.

Have you ever seen a tea ceremony performed? Did you notice how the person pouring the tea does it slowly, always using two hands to pick up the tea pot and the cups? A tea ceremony is a practice in mindfulness. By taking time and using both hands to perform every task, the mind is focused one hundred percent on the act of having tea.

Finally, remember to breathe. It sounds simple, but we have a tendency to hold our breath for a moment during times of stress or anxiety, and breathe fast and shallow the rest of the time. Breathe deeply, with long exhales, to calm your mind and quiet racing thoughts. With control of the breath, we can control the mind.

Wishing you peace, love and happiness.

The Power of Words: Why You Should Choose Yours Carefully

Much has been written about the power of words. Although this is not a unique topic, I think it’s a very important one and something that touches each of us every day. If you allow your words to control you, instead of the other way around, you will impede your success and jeopardize your relationships.

If the average person speaks about 15,000 words per day, how many of these words are “intentional?” How many are without forethought? Our thoughts are constantly bouncing around in our brains like popcorn and it’s inevitable that some of those thoughts are going to slip out as words that are not productive and sometimes even harmful. This risk is increased when we speak out of anger or fear.

Everything you say has an effect – a consequence. As Jack Canfield put it: “What you say to others creates a ripple effect in the world.”

Your words, whether positive or negative, leave an imprint on your subconscious and the subconscious of others. This is particularly true of children. Think of some belief that you have carried with you into adulthood because of a casual comment someone made to you when you were a child.

“Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.” – Wendell Johnson

I recently talked with a group of Girl Scouts about the power of words. I asked them each to cut out a paper heart and then went around the circle and had each girl relate a story about something that had been said to hurt their feelings. After each story, I had the girls crinkle up a part of their paper heart. At the end, each of our hearts was a wadded up ball of paper. Then I asked the girls to smooth the paper, imagining as they did that the person who hurt their feelings had apologized for their words. No matter how much we smoothed the paper (apologized), there was still an imprint left on our hearts from the unkind words.

“Words are also actions, and actions are a kind of words.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you want to be successful in your relationships or in business, you need to pay more attention to your words. Choose words that reflect who you want to be. Choose words that are positive and that make others feel good about themselves. Choose words that support your goals. Choose words that will make people admire and respect you because of your honesty and integrity. Or, to put it more simply, don’t lie, exaggerate or gossip.

Some of the easiest ways to get into trouble with words are:

• Engaging in idle gossip because you can’t think of anything else to say.

When we gossip, we are judging others – usually without good cause. When you judge, you close your mind and a closed mind is not able to grow and develop. So, just remember: gossip stunts your growth!


• Blurting out words that are not helpful or positive, in anger or frustration.

Your negative energy will return negative energy to you. Anything that you say in anger or frustration will ultimately come back to hurt you in some way or another. Words said in anger damage your relationships and your reputation.


• Talking too much, instead of listening.

Knowledge is not the same thing as wisdom. Constantly talking about what you “know” does not make you a wise person. A wise person looks inward and spends most of their time with others listening.

“You don't need many words if you already know what you're talking about.” – William Stafford

There is a very simple way to remember how to use your words to benefit yourself and everyone that you come into contact with. The Buddha taught: If you know something that is not true, don’t say it. If you know something that is not helpful, don’t say it. If you know something that is both true and helpful, find the right time.

Wishing you peace and love.

Staying Positive in Difficult Times

Turn on the television, open a newspaper or your web browser and there it is - bad news. War, recession, financial crisis and stories of personal hardship. It's hard to find a news story with a happy ending. Let's face it, pessimism "sells." With all of this negativity in the world, how can you stay positive?

Since we are faced with a constant barrage of stories and images that are sad and discouraging, it's easy to become caught up in all of the negativity that's going on in the world. When this happens, you lose sight of the positive things in your own life and succumb to a state of hopelessness.

Why is it so important to stay positive? Positive thoughts and energy are essential for success in all areas of your life. Negative thoughts doom you to repeat the same self-defeating behavior over and over. Your emotions are like fuel for your thoughts and actions. Negative emotions are like putting vinegar in your gas tank - they're not taking you anywhere. But positive emotions - emotions of gratitude, love, hope, joy - can propel you forward at lightening speed.

People who maintain a positive outlook are more pleasant to be around and more compassionate toward others. This is especially important in these difficult times. If you're not sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, you are more open to reaching out to help others around you.
There are several things that you can do to keep a positive energy in your life, despite what's going on the world around you.

• Do not allow yourself to be inundated with so-called news. Yes, it is important to be informed about what is going on in the world - but stick to sources that give you just the facts. Avoid sensationalized reporting that exploits your emotions.
• Remember that the more energy and attention that is given to something, the more it expands - even when it is something that no one wants. The easiest way to minimize something is to stop giving it energy and attention. Think about a tabloid celebrity. We all complain about the fact that we keep hearing about this person in the news, yet our act of reading about this person is the very thing that is perpetuating their fame (or infamy, if you prefer). The more you feed something, the bigger it grows.
• Practice gratitude every day. Every person, no matter how dire their circumstances, has something to be grateful for. Even if it's simply the fact that they're still breathing. Take some time, every day, to be grateful for the good things in your life.
• Smile. Yes, it's that simple and it's contagious.
• Don't forget that no one can "make" you feel bad - your emotions are entirely within your control. You must consent to giving someone else that power over you. If this is a challenge because you are easily affected by other people's opinions or moods, start every morning with this affirmation, "I don't let other people ruin my day."

Remember, you don't have to let anyone else's viewpoint become your reality. Nothing in this world is permanent and every day is another opportunity for the next great thing to happen to you.

© Copyright - Cathy L. McCann. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Permission to publish on-line or in print is granted provided that the article and by-line are printed intact and reference is given to the author's website.

Spring Cleaning: Getting Rid of Worn-Out Beliefs

March 20th is the first day of Spring. It's once again time for a little Spring cleaning. This year, instead of just cleaning out your closets, why not clear out the clutter in your emotional life?

Think about all of the ideas and beliefs you hold onto that simply don't fit anymore. Some of those beliefs may have been instilled in you during childhood, carried down by your family through generations. Others may have been impressed upon you during a past relationship. Still others may be your own misconceptions about yourself, created out of fear or insecurity.

Often, long-held beliefs create an imprint on your subconscious that is so deep you continue to allow them to limit you long after they are no longer applicable to your current life -- if they ever were in the first place. These ideas and beliefs do not reflect who you are now. Hanging onto these beliefs limits your growth and impedes your success.

Make a list of your limiting beliefs. Under those, write new statements that reflect your true, current beliefs.

• I'm not smart enough
• I am capable of doing anything that I desire
• No one in my family makes a lot of money
• I give myself permission to be successful
• I'll always be overweight
• I release my excess weight and honor my body

Repeat your new beliefs daily as an affirmation and any time that you become aware of negative self-talk. It takes some time and dedication to replace old beliefs and allow the new positive beliefs to take hold in your life.

So this Spring, get rid of worn-out things and worn-out beliefs. Most importantly, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!