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.

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!