Ending procrastination and putting action into your life

It does not have to be like that. You might be a laid back person, but that does not necessarily mean that you are lazy – there is a difference and I will talk more about that later. The major problem is procrastination – putting off things that really deserve immediate action.

 

Sadly, the biggest procrastinators rarely realise what they are actually doing and the damage they cause – and this is why they find it so hard to succeed in everything they do. At work they are “Business Prevention Officers,” in relationships they are “Mr or Ms no commitment” and in life they are “Maybes.”

 

There is something very descriptive about the word procrastination – I believe it says exactly what it does on the tin. Some even have difficulty pronouncing the word. Do it right now - PRO-CRASS-TIN-ASHUN - and you will see what I mean. It could well sum up why so many people will do, or try anything to put off or delay the job in hand – the things that really matter.

 

Procrastination can apply to any part of your life, your work, your marriage and all your other important relationships. It stems mostly from a fear of failure which in turn creates inaction – after all, if you do nothing then there is an assumption, consciously or unconsciously, that it is impossible to do wrong.

 

It is another link in the chain which you probably learned from a well-meaning adult or from your parents and it needs to be broken before you pass on the same level of inaction to your children. It is the lack of faith in your own abilities which gets worse when you are under pressure to deliver.

 

Clever procrastinators have even been known to invent a huge range of additional activities which are designed to hide their inactions, but sooner or later the inevitable will happen – the main task they have been dreading has to be completed – and they have probably run out of time.

 

That means you are then going to upset people who were relying on you. You have let them down and it was probably not the first time and they are now thinking that you are no longer up to the job, no longer the partner or friend they trusted – it is like a self-fulfilling prophecy which has come to pass.

 

Those who procrastinate frequently fail in their careers and personal relationships and the sad thing is they have no idea of the kind of people they have become. Procrastinators are not lazy or uncaring, quite the reverse, they just lack focus and commitment when they perceive or imagine that something is a little more challenging than normal.

 

Every warning bell in their body then unconsciously decides that this is one job too far and urgent evasive action is now required. It will occur again and again until you accept that just maybe you might be a procrastinator and look to do something about it.

 

But for the moment, let’s first focus on positive thinking and set about changing the basics. It starts with that fear of failure that has always held you back and prevented you from making solid work and relationship commitments. It’s also worth mentioning that some procrastinators also fear success – worried that if they do too good a job they will be asked to do more – different problem but same solution.

 

Check back in your life and start to ask yourself a few difficult questions – as explained earlier, few procrastinators recognise that they even have a problem to begin with so you have to be honest with yourself particularly if you are finding it difficult to hold down a job or sustain a relationship.

 

Were you discouraged by parents or other authority figures not to get out of your depth? Was there an occasion when it really did go wrong and you are now afraid of a repeat? Do you find it difficult to make decisions? Successful entrepreneurs recognise such challenges or failures as experience building and you must do the same. Where do you think it all went wrong, why do you find this aspect of life so difficult and most importantly, what can you do now to correct the situation?

 

It frequently helps if you are prepared to tackle the problem in an analytical way – not easy for a serial procrastinator, but as there is no pressure and everything to gain then please believe me when I say it is worth a few minutes of your time.

 

It starts by recognising that you might just be a procrastinator. C’mon, it is not so hard - this is your opportunity to be a powerful positive person and get rid of all that indecision and start your life afresh – ready to tackle anything that comes your way. When you become that person you will then begin to experience material success, your relationships will improve and a whole new way of life is yours for the taking

 

Find a piece of paper and a pen and write down that you are a procrastinator. You need to admit that you could be a ditherer and indecisive – you get the idea because we are going to set about correcting all those things. As you spell out the problem you must also add the solution. Write down that you now intend to be more decisive and that if you are having problems you will not be afraid to ask for help. Assert that you will not invent other tasks as a substitute for failing to complete projects.

 

When you are satisfied that your specification is just right then destroy that piece of paper as it will help to reinforce the ideas you have sown in your head. You have metaphorically sent a message to the Universe that you are ready for change and it only needs to receive it the once.

 

You are effectively writing your own personal message and you must state that that the new you is going to be a massive success - decisive, strong, a leader and someone who others will gravitate to for advice. You will be the one who tackles the bigger problems and hardest projects first. You will recognise that if you run into difficulties you will be quick to correct them before it is too late – and you will not be worried about asking for help, safe in the knowledge that it is not a reflection of failure on your part.

 

Use your imagination to see that you are a huge success, delivering incredible projects. See yourself as receiving praise from bosses and colleagues for a job well done. Visualise relationships improving with more and more attractive people coming into your life. Most importantly – please do not confuse procrastination for laziness.

 

This is of course how many people will always view procrastination – but that could not be further from the truth. None of us are the same – there are always going to be people more motivated, more dynamic and more driven than you. It does not mean that you are less committed or care less – and it certainly doesn’t mean that you are lazy.

 

You might be more laid back than most and you might like to take time to consider what needs to be done – that doesn’t mean that you are lazy either – so welcome the type of person you are and let’s move on, but be ready to give yourself a break because there could be other things that are holding you back right now.

 

Could be that you are feeling very tired at the moment. Maybe it’s been a bad week, month, year or even longer when everything has gone wrong. It’s your problems we are talking about here – anything from divorce, ill health, finances, depression – so an understandable lack of motivation is probably OK right now and we will talk more about that later because these things will pass.

 

The real problem is procrastination because some people will avoid action of any kind by looking for distractions. This also has nothing to do with laziness as we have already discussed – so could it be that you are simply unwilling or unable to do a particular job or you have no idea what action to take. May be you could be worrying about the potentially embarrassing consequences of a failure on your part.

 

Depression is also the direct route to inaction. When all you can think of is how bad you feel and how bleak the future looks then it’s not surprising that you feel demotivated. In such circumstances, the last question you need to ask is why am I so lazy?

 

Feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem are massive factors for inaction. Add them to all the other reasons already stated – and if these apply to you – then you are not a lazy person, just someone who needs to think differently.

 

That could mean turning to mindfulness or meditation which is known to correct thoughts and can be very powerful in cases of negativity, but most people have no idea how to go about this and they do not have the time or the inclination to make it work.

 

There is really nothing new about Mindfulness. It has been around for thousands of years, practiced and passed down through the generations by Buddhist monks and it works by keeping people in the NOW – focussing on things at this precise moment.

 

The practice has been clinically proven to fight depression and anxiety – and according to some medical reports, up to 20% of individuals taking part in trials have benefitted - and there are a growing number of organisations willing to offer courses and advice.

 

Does it work – yes? Is it good for your mind and body – without doubt? So what are the downsides of Mindfulness? The short answer is time. You must be willing to invest part of your day – you will need, according to the experts, at least 15 minutes to meditate, some say up to one hour. This allows your thoughts to be put into perspective in a non-judgemental way - and in a modern fast moving world, most of us are sadly unwilling to make that investment.

 

It’s the very same reason why most people fail to get the results they need from self-help books, particularly those that involve daily exercises and affirmations and why most New Year resolutions fail by mid-January. You will be pleased to know that we do not recommend such things – because you do not need them.

 

That doesn’t mean to say that you cannot introduce Mindfulness into your life and daily routine and you can do it on the go, as you travel to work, during you lunch hour, as you tidy up the house, clean the car or whatever it is you are doing at that particular moment.

 

The secret is learning to control your thoughts and living in the now, enjoying this precise moment accepting that everything is how it should be. Let the dozens of thoughts coming into your head pass into the ether without comment or analysis – they are random and however pressing they may seem you can choose to return to them when you are ready ensuring that you dominate the agenda.

 

A good start is to forget about the past mistakes – there is nothing you can change as much as you might want to beat yourself up over it. Simply vow to learn from the experience however painful it was because it is now in your past and only causes you distress when you relive it. That simple process of acceptance alone will take you forward into the process of mindfulness.

 

As for the future – if you are practicing Powerful Positive Thinking then you will already have a strategy to take care of what comes next or you will have by the time you finish this article – so all you have to do is concentrate on what’s happening now.

 

Enjoy the moment and if you are sitting on a train or a passenger on a bus or simply lounging in a café, take the opportunity to look around, smell the coffee if you like, metaphorically and literally, look at the surroundings, take notice of colours and textures and as you do, thoughts will stream into your head and you will have an opinion about what your senses are telling you.

 

To achieve mindfulness you must control these opinions. It doesn’t matter whether you hate the colour of someone’s curtains or whatever else you are looking at. It doesn’t matter what you think about anything really at that particular moment – stop being judgemental, acknowledge the thoughts without any additional mental comment and let them drift away.

 

This is the lazy way to mindfulness because without realising it you will be in a mild state of meditation, it’s doing you good and you can do it any time it takes your fancy. Analyse it a bit further and you have probably allowed yourself unwittingly to relax in the same way on numerous occasions. It is just common sense – another key part of Powerful Positive Thinking.

 

You can do this during even the busiest of days and here comes the good bit. Because you have not locked yourself into a rigid programme of meditating at a certain time then mindfulness becomes a pleasure when you are ready to switch off and not another chore or duty you have to include as part of your 24 hour schedule.

 

This way you will slowly learn how to control your thoughts, you will become less judgemental, gradually you will learn to let go of the past and slowly – step by step – you will be living in the NOW – and that’s exactly where we all should be.

 

By living in the now you can correct your thoughts away from procrastination or laziness and focus on what needs to be done immediately. You will see the way ahead and the task in hand, you will not be afraid to ask for help if it is required.

 

Do not feel you have to practice all the time, just take a moment to relax, the odd few minutes here and there and slowly but surely you will become more positive, more incisive and you would have made another step forward towards personal and material success – so chill. You have vowed to be less of a procrastinator and most importantly, you have taken another step towards a more positive you.

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from Powerful Positive Thinking https://www.powerfulpositivethinking.org/ending-procrastination-and-putting-action-into-your-life/
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Conquering your fears

It is particularly visible it in our brave soldiers when they return from conflict, unable to resolve what they have seen and done. Many have the false belief that people will mistake them for cowards if they allow their feelings to be seen by others – and they suffer as a result.

We are talking here about extreme cases, but fears are still fears nonetheless, however trivial they may seem - and they have real power over us because we have allowed them into our lives and slowly but surely they have eaten away at our confidence and self-esteem.

Fears are the masters and those that are affected are the slaves and until you resolve to eliminate them from your life you can never be the positive person you really want to be. Even worse, fears act like a highly contagious virus and you will infect others, particularly those close to you, with exactly the same worries.

My blogs frequently return to the theme of breaking those chains, the stuff you pass on to your children – and the worst and biggest candidate of them all is fear. It will stop you in your tracks as effectively as a brick wall, fuelled by your imagination and the dark thoughts that follow from your sub-conscious.

I use the words sub-conscious because that is where your innermost fears are buried and that’s where we have to go to get rid of them for good. So let’s start that journey – it will not be as hard as you think if you are prepared to put your fears into some kind of perspective – and that is just what we are going to do.

Most fears, as real as they seem, are totally irrational and based more on natural anxiety. We need to make this distinction. Natural anxiety is quite normal – it is natural for example to be worried about the safety of your children if they are out alone for the first time; it is natural to be worried about passing an exam that is important to your future and it is natural to be worried about getting a new job after a gruelling interview.

The list is almost endless, but it represents the day to day challenges that face us all and in a perverse kind of way natural anxiety can be a good thing as it spurs us into action to ensure that the things you are worrying about have a better chance of success.

It is only when those worries turn into serious anxieties and they begin to take over your life and when action is needed to bring you back into the light. It could be that there are underlying medical and psychological conditions that are affecting you – and if that is the case then you must seek professional advice.

However, for most people it is the deep rooted fears that are the most dangerous and debilitating. These are the ones that may have been with you since childhood, planted in your sub conscious by your parents or other well-meaning adults who failed to recognise what they were doing.

Those seeds found fertile ground inside you – and if the truth be known, you probably added to them with a little bit of your own imagination and life experience. You almost certainly magnified them and today they remain in the fully grown adult to continue their damage when they are passed on your own children or loved ones.

These are the fears that effectively prevent you from fulfilling your life in the way you want. They act as barriers, virtual brick walls that hold you back in relationships, attracting material things, being the success you desire – I feel sure you can add to this list. But let’s examine these fears in more detail because until you can see them for what they are you will always be unable to deal with them.

Fear is one of the worst emotions anyone can face. I am not talking about raw fear, that gut wrenching adrenaline fuelled feeling where you have to choose between fight or flight. I am looking instead at that nagging day in, day out voice in the back of your head that reduces you to constant worry.

It is the one thing that is preventing you from moving on in your life. It changes the way you think to the point where even the smallest thing can completely change your mood in seconds. All it takes is a misspoken word, maybe a demanding letter, a thoughtless remark – and your mind goes into overtime as you imagine the worst.

You must put these into some kind of perspective. If you are having trouble paying a bill, it doesn’t mean that you will be declared bankrupt with all your possessions taken away. This is the last resort for banks and big corporations who will do their best to help you.

If you had an argument with friends it is unlikely that they will shun you forever, at least not if they are good friends. If you are facing health issues wait until you get the right advice before thinking about the worst outcome.

Fears about losing a job, offending that special person, losing the one you love – that list is almost endless, but feel free to tick the box that applies to you – will end up attracting the very thing you least want.

So how are we going to eliminate fears from your life? Only you can do that but, you are not completely alone so let’s see how Powerful Positive Thinking can help - that combination of positive thinking, common sense, realism and action.

However, before we look at the solution let’s make sure that we properly identify the problem. It starts with you confronting and dissecting your fears and getting them into perspective. Ask yourself what are you really worried about. Chances are all that you have is this nagging feeling of worry and anxiety that something is not quite right.

Start picking at that nagging feeling. What’s it all about? Confront and question it so that you have clearly identified the thing that is worrying you. Drag it out of your mind screaming for all it is worth, if you must – but confront and identify you will – for unless you know what concerns you, no one else can help.

There, as if by magic your worry appears, no longer protected by false emotions but standing naked before you and feeling very vulnerable. It is no longer a nagging worry because you have confronted it and reduced its power over you – it is now only a challenge waiting to be solved. I will return to this later because there are many fears that must be confronted if you ever to be free of them.

Believe it or not, one of these is fear of success. There are millions across the world who live with this phobia on a daily basis. It is difficult to define because success can come and is judged in so many different forms, but it is bad enough to cause major problems for sufferers – and in extreme cases it can be life changing.

It seems ironic that while so many crave success and the fame and fortune that goes with it there are those that fear it with the same level of passion – at least it seems that way especially when you discover that success and the way we react to it, means different things to different people.

At the most basic level there are those that never want to be seen to be standing out in a crowd. That could mean never putting your hand up in class, never volunteering or putting yourself forward for even the most mundane of tasks, always sitting in the back row, hoping you will go unnoticed. These affect the shyest of people in particular which we talk about this later.

Fear of success in such cases means the potential for humiliation, the thought that people will laugh at you if you get it wrong - much better not to try, than to take the risk of public rejection. Confused, I expect you are, because what I am describing sounds more like the fear of failure – so let’s explain the difference.

The two are closely linked, but while the variations may be subtle – they are still very much poles apart. Fear of failure is all about wanting something badly but being too afraid to pursue the dream. Fear of success is the worry that great things will be foisted upon you and you will not be worthy, so best not to try.

This feeling of unworthiness is the real key to understanding fear of success and when you can get that idea fixed in your mind then you can then look to use positive thinking as a potential solution and embrace the real benefits that success brings.

However, unworthiness also comes in many different forms so you need to understand the levers that make you feel this way. The most common relates to money where sufferers feel that they should not have been so blessed or have been more fortunate than others. They find it difficult to cope when they see poverty and lack and as a consequence. They feel guilty that they have been successful while others have not.

It is no good telling such people that there is plenty to go around and everyone can enjoy the same success and prosperity if they practice positive thinking. They have heard for example all the stories that being rich cannot relate to religious beliefs – the best known being about the rich man, the camel and the eye of the needle which implies that the wealthy will never enter heaven.

In spite of these fears there are many who still reach the greatest heights even though they fear being unable to cope with what it brings. Such people conveniently forget that they can use their wealth to benefit the poor and make a difference in a way that reflects their means – they can only see the guilt and as a result are unable to enjoy their money and what it can do.

Even worse is the scenario that those that have the ability to be rich reject the idea because they feel they will never be able to handle money. Equally, they never aspire to let the world see their talent for fear they will not be able to handle fame.

There are many similar variations which all relate to fear of success so you should now have an idea as to whether I am talking about someone like you. If the answer is yes then we should set about doing something about it, but what if your major fear is shyness.

We all know that feeling, that terrible moment when you walk alone into a crowded room, desperate to make eye contact with someone familiar. It’s that lack of confidence which has haunted you all your life. Some call it shyness but that does not go anywhere near to describing the fear that is gripping every fibre of your body right now.

You have read all those self-help books, you have taken in all of the advice, you may even have tried, Lord help us, to imagine your fellow guests vulnerable and naked and it’s not helping. Why is it that everyone else seems to so confident while you inwardly are self-destructing?

Well, I am going to let you into a little secret. Everyone in that room is feeling just like you to a greater or lesser extent. It all depends of course on how long they have known their fellow guests, how old they are, whether it’s a brand new environment – there are multiple permutations of course, but you can be certain that they all feeling a little unsure.

But that does not help me, I hear you say. I just want this feeling to go away, to be less shy and to be that confident outgoing person. Fear and anxiety are holding me back and it has been the same all of my life.

Ok! So we have worked out the problem. What are you going to do about it? Sorry, you will have to speak up – I did not hear you. Surely, you are not waiting for me to give you the answer – the solution is in your hands.

I do not mean to be cruel but when you focus on how bad and unsure you are feeling, you don’t stop to consider that others are having the same problems – and they do have the same uncertainties. What’s that you say – no one could be interested in you, you are not that good looking, you don’t have any special skills, you are a bit overweight?

Well, I’m looking your way right now and I am thinking there is no way that I can speak to you either. I expect you will notice that big spot on the end of my nose and my teeth have turned black with red wine and I always manage to say the wrong thing when I see someone attractive. Why can’t I be as confident as you?

Are you starting to get the picture? Probably, but I know you still have that fear, your throat is chocked up so let’s get back to positive thinking but combine it with some common sense and ask ourselves a few questions.

What is the worst thing that can happen to me if I conquer my fears and start a conversation with that person? What’s that you say – the sky will fall in – why didn’t you say. Best to stand there like a wallflower then.

Conquering that fear starts with a first step and sometimes you will falter and when you do you will stand up, brush yourself down and take another step until that whole glorious new world opens up. You will never totally lose those fears and anxieties. It’s called being human, but you will learn to control them.

Now you are ready to put positive thinking into action. Your fear is once again out in the open, write it down on paper or use a PC, mobile or tablet if you prefer. Go into some detail about this fear and question it. What is the worst thing that can happen? Is that likely?

Carry on writing or typing and then express what you want to happen – the best outcome that’s right for you. Tell the universe that it is not welcome in your life and you wish it to be removed. Check your message, make sure it’s right for you and your wishes – and then destroy it. Tear up the paper, delete the message and have faith that the universe has received it. Vow never to think about it again and then you will be ready for good things to happen.

OK! I accept that it’s not so easy to forget the message because that’s the big worry, but forget it you must because when you keep returning to the problem the universe will assume that you wish to keep it – so keep the faith.

This is when the next part of Powerful Positive Thinking comes into force. You need common sense to decide what else you are going to do to eliminate this or these worries and then choose a course of action with realistic expectations.

As I said at the beginning, everyone is afraid of something – crime, physical violence etc – but these are rational fears and if we are wise, we take steps to avoid such things. You may extend such fears to your loved ones but there is nothing wrong with teaching them to be wary or streetwise and such concerns represent natural anxiety unless you give them power by turning them into an obsession.

It is the mental fears, your own irrational thoughts that we are talking about here – and you have the power to change them when they are confronted and seen for what they really are. You are not powerless and they can be eliminated as soon as you are ready to take that first step – so what are you waiting for?

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from Powerful Positive Thinking https://www.powerfulpositivethinking.org/conquering-your-fears/
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Turning you into a Positive Thinking Life coach

As caring parents you have been there for your children from the moment they were born. You have taken care of all their physical needs, fed them, clothed them, put a roof over their heads and provided support whenever it has been needed.

They have taken on your mannerisms and you have done your best to teach them right from wrong to prepare them for adulthood, but without realising it you have also passed over your fears and worries. Little by little your anxieties have become theirs and if the chain is not broken, then those fears will continue to be transmitted from generation to generation.

You are a life coach for your children, the person they look to for guidance and support. Through you they will grow up with a mental attitude to life which in extreme cases can be highly positive or highly negative. Most of us of course, occupy the space in between and develop coping mechanisms to handle what life sends our way depending of course on what you have learned in your childhood.

But what if you could become a ‘Positive Thinking Life Coach’ with the power to teach your children to think success, to be optimistic and to always expect the best? What if you had the ability to show your sons and daughters how to deal with the dark times and learn from these experiences?

You can - and if you follow the advice in this blog – you will. This is your opportunity to break the chain and work with your children to promote a positive thinking lifestyle. You can correct the negatives in your life and make sure they are not passed on; you can identify your fears and anxieties and eliminate them forever.
So if you are ready then we can get started. Do not worry, you will never be asked to do complicated exercises, prepare mood boards or make constant affirmations – you do not need them - positive thinking is all about common sense, a phrase I shall use regularly in all my blogs.

I would ask you instead to think back to your childhood and some of the things you learned from your parents. These are probably vague memories and I doubt if you have ever considered them in any great detail – you just accepted these random ideas, which were built up over time and which gradually helped shape the person you are today.
I doubt if your parents ever meant to harm you in any way, at least I hope not, but without realising it they programmed your mind and your attitudes to life as effectively as any computer programme and now I need you to analyse these thoughts.

What did they tell you? Were you told you should limit your ambitions in any way because you were the wrong gender; did they tell you that you should not try or attempt something new as you would probably fail; did they criticise the way you looked, undermine your confidence, compare you unfavourably to others – how long has this list got to be?
Everyone’s experience is different, but if you can recognise any of this or something similar, it would almost certainly have negatively affected your life in some way. You would not have realised it at the time because your parents were telling you these things with the best of intentions. They probably did not want you to be hurt or disappointed but they were sapping your confidence nevertheless and the chances are – you are doing exactly the same to your children right now – trying to protect them but having the complete opposite effect.

The same thinking can be applied to fears and anxieties. We all have them to a greater or lesser extent, but without knowing it you are passing on those same fears to your children. Think of something as basic as arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. If one of these turns you into a quivering wreck the chances are your children will copy your behaviour and inherit the same problem.

Sadly it gets worse than that. Anxieties such as fear of failure where you are unwilling or unable to try anything new, fears that others may judge you or criticise you in any way which swamp your self-confidence, are also being passed on to your children.

You do not even realise that you are doing it because these fears and anxieties are so deeply ingrained into your subconscious. These are your thoughts, the things that hold you back in life and they were taught at your mother’s knee and probably ingrained still further by well-meaning teachers, friends and people in authority.

Recognising these issues is the first step towards becoming a ‘Positive Thinking Life Coach’ and that is the person you will become by the end of this book. We are going to look in detail at the words and phrases which have held you back, we are going to look at your fears and anxieties and we are going to offer solutions.
Breaking the chains is what all this is about, helping you to change your life so you can help others do the same so let’s ask another couple of questions. How do you feel when you are asked to accept a new challenge or project? What is your first reaction when someone takes you out of your comfort zone? What is your fall back situation when you encounter a problem?

It is quite natural to be a little apprehensive when you try something new so please do not be confused if you are a little anxious. It’s your expectation that is important. Do you expect to fail because you have in the past? Do you believe that you are not the right person for the job? Do you feel that you will try your best but have little hope of success?

If I am describing you right now then we need to do a little reality check because you are suffering from a case of ‘bad imagination.’ Your thoughts would have raced ahead and in your brain you have already created a scenario for failure.

You are probably totally unaware that you are even doing it because the apprehension is the only thing you can think about, but your imagination is telling you that you are concerned about letting down others, you may be worried about looking stupid in front of people, you will think back to past failures and believe that life is repeating itself.
By imagining failure you are already beaten no matter how much effort and resolve you put into the project. That little nagging voice in your head is going to remind you every time you start work that you are not really up to the job.

That nagging voice was programmed into your head, probably from a very young age and the question I would ask you right now is: Are you passing on the same fears of failure to your own children and as a result – are they finding it difficult to reach their potential as well?

It is like a computer virus and it needs action to remove it from your brain and then afterwards you need to do the same for the children in your life. Just understanding and realising that it exists is the first step towards positivity.

Recognise them for what they are – irrational doubts and fears that have always stopped you from achieving your full potential. They have been hidden for so long in your subconscious you have not been aware of them and now you must dig them out, bring them into the open and confront them.

Look at these doubts and fears with a fresh set of eyes and question them. What is really holding you back apart from yourself? Who told you that these kind of things were far beyond someone like you?

See it for what it really is – an irrational and baseless fear, without substance or form – simply a mental barrier you have placed in your head. It has a door and you have the key – all you have to do is open it up and walk through and leave it behind forever.

These irrational thoughts and fears have no power to harm you unless you choose to let them. If you fail at something then you will learn from it – it can only change your life for the better. You will never know if you can succeed until you try and just imagine the accolades you will receive as you deliver the final goal.

Such situations do not occur for positive thinking people. They have the same doubts and fears as you but they know them for what they are – nothing more than natural anxieties which exist to give you warnings – a final check to make sure you have the detail correct before you move on to the big prize.

That is why a ‘Positive Thinking Life Coach’ takes a different view and is ready to meet any challenge. Tasked with something different, even if it takes them outside of their comfort zone, they see only success. They visualise every aspect of the task in hand, identify obstacles and work out solutions to overcome them.

Most importantly they embrace and learn from previous failures because they remember what went wrong last time and are unwilling to have a repeat. Because of this they know that just because something did not work out on a previous occasion, it does not mean that the same will happen all over again.

It is all about the way you think. Your thoughts create reality and permeate into everything you do. Think success and the chances are you will succeed. Think failure – you can probably guess the rest of the sentence.

It is also about the things that you say. If you tell others that you think something will not work. If you constantly let the world believe that you are not quite up to the job then do not be surprised if everyone agrees with you.

Your negative thoughts have shaped you in many subtle ways – they are the same thoughts that you are now passing on to your children and they have built up in your mind from a wide range of different subject sources.

You may be constantly worrying about money for example and this has created your attitude towards everything of material value. The lack of cash has in turn created a lack mentality which you translate as being unable to afford the good things in life. We talk about money in other blogs on this website and how you can attract more of it.

Perhaps you have problems with relationships. If this is the case then be assured you are passing those same fears on to the next generation. Do you fear for your health? Do you worry about the future, the environment or being safe – I can make this list as long as you like.

That is why we need to turn you into a ‘Positive Thinking Life Coach,’ which is what I intend to do little by little, but before we get there I want to lay down a few ground rules.

From this moment on you must resolve to eliminate all negative phrases and words from your life and substitute them for positive ones. I can’t must be substituted for I can for you and your children and you must decide to actively make this part of your life.

You must learn to control your thoughts. If you imagine difficulties and obstacles then that is what you will attract. Allow yourself to be a dreamer and direct your thoughts to the things that you would like to happen – come away from the dark side.

Look in the mirror and start to like the image that is staring back. None of us are perfect, we all have a few wrinkles and bags, teenagers have spots, some of you may be overweight but that is you, you are unique and if you are unable to like yourself then how do you expect others to respond differently.

Stop criticising others and start to look for their good points. No one likes a person who attacks others, who is a bully, who is constantly angry, stressed and upset – it is something that positive people try to resolve and you should do the same. Angry parents create angry children as night follows day.

Expect to succeed at everything you do and look forward to the challenge ahead that will allow you to learn. Accept that things will occasionally go wrong, that such things are just part of life and when they happen you will find something better.

Always imagine that you are feeling healthy. Stop groaning when you get up and resolve to be fitter. Be prepared to try things that will improve your physical and mental wellbeing – make it fun and encourage your family to join you.

I think you get the idea and if you really feel that you are ready to be a ‘Positive Thinking Life Coach’ then we can get started. It will be a gradual process because positive thinking becomes a way of life when you practice it on a daily basis.

As you become more positive, then all the special things that you want to attract will slip easily into place as if by magic. I am not promising big lottery wins, but you will develop a mind-set that attracts more cash; I am not promising that you will become a captain of industry but you will certainly learn the skills that deliver success. See other blogs on this website and I will show you how you can be happier, more comfortable and confident with yourself and most importantly of all, I will teach you valuable life skills which you in turn can pass on to your children – the greatest gift of all.

So let the magic begin. Are you ready to embrace a new life?

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Understanding Powerful Positive Thinking

Most of these would have been lured and seduced by the promise and potential of easy riches and success and have been disappointed by the lack of results. They have failed to realise that positive thinking has to be a lifestyle choice and until you can get all of the areas in your life working in harmony, you can never achieve the results you desire.

How can someone who is permanently bad tempered or aggressive ever be positive? How can someone who constantly criticises others or who hates the way they look, or who acts like a bully or always sees the worst in people, ever embrace positive thinking? The short answer – it can never happen in any meaningful way for such people.,/p>

When you really understand how positive thinking works, you will have the power to transform your life and the lives of your children for the better. You will have the ability to pass on a gift – possibly the greatest gift ever - that will remain with them and you for the rest of your lives.

Children and young people are more open to the idea that things are a lot better if you are optimistic and expect the best in life. Children who grow up in a positive and loving atmosphere are also naturally happier and are more likely to succeed according to most experts.

Armed with the power of positive thinking and the knowledge of how it works, you will be able to deal with all adversities, improve your chances for happiness and success; you will have a greater chance of developing better relationships and much, much more. And yes – all the material stuff such as money and success – can be yours and we will talk about that later.

When positive thinking works, it can always be traced back to four core elements – imagination, common sense, faith or belief in yourself and action. I believe that the greatest of all of these is common sense because this will dictate everything you do and set out a strategy for changing your life for the better.

Let me explain what I mean by common sense. If you think positive thinking will help you to attract a massive lottery win, then you are probably going to be disappointed. You can try as hard as you like to concentrate on that objective, you can visualise the cheque coming your way and all the money you are about to give to friends and charities – but the end result is likely to be zip.

This is when you and probably thousands of others finally lost faith in positive thinking. You will then have decided that it simply does not work and to really rub it in, you will have kicked yourself for being so foolish in the first place in thinking it would.

In spite of your best efforts there was one major flaw in your thinking. There was a little voice at the back of your head which kept telling you that your dream was impossible simply because it was too big or you were not ready yet. It crept in when your guard was down and totally undermined everything you wanted to achieve.

Common sense dictates that your desires have to be realistic because you will then believe that they are possible. Without this belief, the Law of Attraction can never begin to work. There is no point in blaming yourself, you simply tried to take short cuts and here is one of the real lessons of mastering powerful positive thinking – get the basics right first before you tackle the bigger stuff.

This is why I constantly reinforce the idea of common sense. If you were a competent and highly effective glider pilot you would not expect to take the controls of a modern fighter jet – at least not straight away – so why do you expect to do the same with positive thinking. You have to learn and master how it all works and you will be pleased to know - it’s not that difficult – and certainly not as tough as flying a fighter jet.

We have already seen how common sense and belief work together and they are a vital part of the positive thinking process. Once you start to believe and have faith that something new and wonderful is about to enter your life - then everything is possible.

Having faith is almost akin to a religious experience and positive thinking is often described as being very similar to prayer. Those with deeply religious beliefs have total faith that their prayers will be answered and positive thinking works in the same way.

“Ask and it shall be given” is a passage of scripture which is frequently quoted as a guide to positive thinking, but it means more than that. You have asked and it will be given as long as you believe that is the case.

Belief and faith are vital parts of the whole process but they come with a warning. When you want something so badly there is always a huge temptation to keep focussing on what you want most. You become like a dog constantly returning to the same old bone and you cannot help yourself.

When this happens you create a reverse effect. You concentrate so much on the one subject that the Universe wrongly interprets this as lack. The more you focus, the greater the lack and the Law of Attraction will respond to that assumption and deliver precisely that – nothing.

When you want something so much it is incredibly difficult not to keep thinking about your desires – but do this you must. This is where the third part of the positive thinking equation comes into force – and it’s called action.

The Universe really wants to help you achieve all your desires but it is not averse to a little bit of extra help. When you concentrate on the action, you take your focus away from what you truly desire which means it has a double whammy affect – and all of it is in your favour.

So what do I mean by action. Well, let’s assume that you want more money – it is probably the best example of what most people crave when they decide to look deeper at positive thinking. To support this you can then introduce a new strategy such as looking for a better job, taking on some additional part time work or may be starting a little business of your own, then the Universe will see that you have taken the right action and will respond.

Your focus then becomes targeted on what you are doing, allowing the Universe to get on with the job of delivering your particular dream totally unhindered by your constant thoughts. As it sees what you are trying to do - it will get the message.

The final piece of the puzzle is how you feel about the whole process and this is where imagination plays its part. You started by imagining what you wanted from positive thinking and how things would change in your life once your dream was delivered.

You got excited about the prospect – tell me you got excited and enthused because how you feel is also important. If you cannot get upbeat then why should the Universe. Remember to keep that imagination going because instead of concentrating on what you want – and we have already established that we should avoid doing that – use it to see yourself as if you had already received your dream or desire.

There is nothing wrong with daydreaming. If it is money you are hoping to attract see yourself as rich. Imagine the luxury holiday, the big house and fast car, best restaurants and hotels. You can now afford anything you want so go out there in your mind and purchase the best.

Let’s remind you again about this magic equation. Powerful positive thinking is made up of imagination, plus common sense, plus action and last but by no means least – faith and belief that everything is possible.

To make things easier I always recommend using a sheet of paper and pen every time to practice positive thinking as this will help you to focus on what you need. The universe is like a giant computer and will literally deliver what it thinks you want so by getting it right at the front end there are fewer chances of misunderstandings.

So begin by writing down your dream. This will apply to everything we talk about throughout this book so none of this will be wasted as you will see from future chapters. We are talking here about your personal order to the Universe and when you have mastered it, you will be able to pass it on to your children.

When you write down your order remember to use masses of common sense. Start with something that will make a difference in your life but do it a little at a time – baby steps. You might want to attract millions of pounds or dollars but if a couple of hundred would do for the moment, then concentrate on that instead. You can take care of the big stuff later.

Now write down all the negatives that have been holding you back. Have a really good clear out and remember to be honest with yourself. Write as many down as you can because they no longer have any place in your life. When you have finished, write underneath that none of these negatives will ever hold you back again.

Your next step is to write down the actions that you intend to take to help deliver your dream. Only you know what these are and once again, write down as many as you can, be creative but most importantly, you must now vow to take those actions if you are to deliver your desires.

The imagination comes later because the next important job is to read through your personal order to the Universe to make sure that everything is just right. Feel free to edit and amend if you wish – it is your personal order after all. Be excited about the prospect that the Universe is getting ready to deliver.

Now comes the bit that I like the best. Once you are really sure that you have everything just right I want you to stop – consider it for one final second or two – then totally destroy that piece of paper. Make it as dramatic as you wish – burn it, shred it, launch it into space on the back of a firework if that is good for you – but destroy it you must.

That is your signal to totally forget about your order. If you had gone online to Amazon with an order for a new product you would not be ringing them every five minutes to see if it had arrived. By doing this you would be creating delays as admin staff would have to stop, check and start the process all over again. It is clearly much better for you to have confidence that all is well and that your order will be delivered at the right time.

The Universe works in exactly the same way. If you keep focussing on the order you will be preventing its delivery, so you must instead have faith and belief that all is well and like Amazon everything will be delivered by the due date.

Your imagination should now be kicking in as if your order has already been delivered. You will also be starting your actions as soon as possible to help things along and that is the principle of powerful positive thinking and with a little practice you will find it gets easier every time.

That of course is the formula for attracting what you desire by working with the Law of Attraction, but as I have alluded to in previous paragraphs, positive thinking is more than just the ability to manifest material things.

That of course is the formula for attracting what you desire by working with the Law of Attraction, but as I have alluded to in previous paragraphs, positive thinking is more than just the ability to manifest material things.

Right now you have created your own reality by the way you think. You are doing the same for your children by the way you influence them and they in turn are creating a clone of your reality. So if you are reading this blog I assume that this will be an even greater incentive to get this right for you and the others you love.

That reality would have been created by a mixture of positive and negative thoughts, a lifetime’s accumulation of experiences which have moulded you and your environment. You are doing the same for your children as you pass on your responses to situations now occurring in your life.

I have now passed on the formula for attracting what you want using positive thinking, but as effective as I know it is, it cannot work until we have eliminated negativity and some of the things that will always prevent the good stuff happening – but that is for another blog.

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Positive Thinking and Covid-19

I am no doctor or medical expert, but I do know the effect that positive thinking has on health, stress and all types of diseases and infirmities. This disease, like many others can kill but there are several well documented research projects which confirm and emphasise why we should all try to remain optimistic.

One critical area of research to do with immunity, which is fundamentally what this disease is all about, shows that positive thoughts and attitudes can activate the brain areas to create a stronger immune defence. Further research also confirms that positive people recover more quickly from illnesses such as colds and flu, to which coronavirus is directly related.

Because I write and have done so for many years about positive thinking I know that negative people are more prone to sickness, stress and ill health generally. They attract these things via their negativity because they constantly focus on all that is wrong in their lives.

You do not have to take my word for it. Just Google “positive thinking and health” and you will find many articles similar to this one which confirm that your state of mind has a direct link to your overall health and wellbeing.

Positive thinking creates better resilience and improves our ability to cope with problems. People with such mind sets are better able to face a crisis or trauma with strength and resolve and do not buckle when faced with such problems.

Resilience can be dramatically improved if you have a positive outlook and it has been shown that optimistic people deal better with challenges and look instead for solutions to all their problems even if that means asking others for help.

So where is the research that supports all this? As stated earlier many eminent doctors and psychologist have produced detailed papers on the subject, far too long to be included in this blog so please Google the subject if you want to know more. I have simply précised many of the findings to emphasise why all of us should remain positive while this disease is amongst us.

According to researchers every time you think, your brain releases some type of chemical. When positive thoughts are generated, when you're feeling happy, or optimistic, cortisol decreases and the brain produces serotonin, creating a feeling of well-being. In short positive thoughts make you feel happier as well as boosting your immune system.

Positive thinking will also deliver a wide range of additional health benefits including a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular problems, less depression, and an increased lifespan. There are also suggestions that positive people lead healthier lifestyles because they are better able to cope with stress and are more likely to avoid unhealthy behaviours.

In short, that is the science behind it and however positive you are Covid-19 is not going to go away too soon. It means you have a choice to sit and worry about this disease and the more you focus on it, then the Law of Attraction suggests that you will in time draw the very thing you least want.

Or you could in turn practice positive thinking. It might not stop you getting the disease but according to the experts it may well minimise the effect it has on your body and improve recovery times.

It could be why millions worldwide who have already had the disease have reported only minor symptoms, but no one really knows for sure so to all of you who regularly follow my blogs please stay safe and healthy until we next talk again – and remember to stay positive.

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Positive thinking works best when you do nothing

I know from experience that the more you keep focussing on something, the more distant it becomes. This happens with relationships, money, new business or anything else you are hoping to bring into your life. If you keep returning to the same old subject eventually people get a bit fed up – and the Universe is no exception.

Have you also noticed that the more you worry about something the more likely that you will attract it into your life? It is the very thing you never wanted and there it is, big and bold and it is right in your back yard – what happened?

Easy answer - you concentrated so much on the very thing you did not want, that the Universe became confused and decided that must be what you desired all the time. This is why positive thinking fails for so many people when they become so intense and focussed.

Why do you spend so much time constantly chanting in your head about the things that you want? You are simply telling the world that they do not exist in your life right now and you are reinforcing that message in your subconscious, that part of your being that works directly with the Law of Attraction.

The more you keep affirming, the further away that thing becomes. The same applies to mood boards where you write statements and paste images of all the things that you want. Think about it for the moment – simply by doing this you are stating with some conviction that these things do not exist in your life right now – and they probably never will because you keep focussing on them.

So, what should you be doing instead? The answer is simple and can be summed up in four words – “as little as possible.” When you order something online you don’t keep ringing up every two minutes to see if they have received your message -you would quickly be blacklisted if you did – and that is what the Universe will effectively do if you if you keep bombarding it with affirmations and mood boards.

Try instead to be a little more laid back. Firstly, you must decide what you want of course and once it is firmly fixed in your mind – writing it all down frequently helps – you must then use your imagination as if you have already received what you desire.

If it is money you want then imagine you already have it and enjoy spending it. If it is a business venture then imagine it has already succeeded and you are enjoying all of the benefits. If it is a personal relationship then imagine it is already flourishing and you are happy.

When you see yourself as being successful, rich or happy then the rest will follow in time turning your imagination and faith into reality. Your subconscious mind has already accepted that everything you have ever wanted has already arrived and it will ensure that success will surely follow.

Hold on – I hear a question coming. Are you saying that positive thinking is really that simple? The short answer is yes. Various authors have over the years tried to wrap up the whole subject with the need to take part in long exercises, they keep telling you how you must train your mind to be positive – after all they do have books that need selling.

Most people will not do this because it is too much like hard work – and much of it is pointless anyway. Positivity is a way of life and when you constantly visualise success as if it has already happened, you will begin to be positive in other ways.

You will start to take action to bring your dreams into reality, you will start to meet the right people who can help you, it will seem as if your luck has changed and everything you have ever wanted will start to slip into place as if by magic.

That combination of faith that everything you desire will be delivered, positivity that things will always succeed supported by your brilliant imagination will ensure that your sub conscious gets the message – and he or she in turn will talk to the Universe on your behalf – and all you have to do is wait for that ring on the doorbell.

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Positive thinking and the power of the subconscious

Just like a computer the subconscious reads everything in a literal way with no margin for error. Based on the information it receives, it then tries to deliver what it believes you really want – and that is why you have to be very careful about what you think and how you act.

Your subconscious mind interprets what you focus on most, so if you are continuously thinking of things that frighten you, things that concern you and things that you never want to attract – then guess what – that is what will come into your life.

The subconscious uses your thoughts like a computer programme. It does not care whether you are positive or negative, it does not care whether you are rich or poor, happy or unhappy – it is not based on emotions and will simply react to your conscious mind.

We are not talking here about random thoughts, the kind of things that spring into all of our minds throughout the day. These have little or no effect on the subconscious. Try to imagine instead that your subconscious is the world’s greatest computer, without the broadband, which means change is gradual because you have to think consistently about a particular subject to alter the programming.

You and I and the rest of the population have been doing this all our lives. We have been slowly adding to our own personal programme and equally slowly and surely it has stored up all of our fears, our prejudices, our negative thoughts and a whole lot more.

In real terms your subconscious acts like an early warning system to react in a certain way to situations that you may have found difficult in the past. Your fears and worries are locked in its memory banks ready to put up defences in the belief that it is providing protection.

Some of these warnings may be justified based on previous experiences, but if these fears are irrational or negative or are simply the result of baseless anxieties then the subconscious will step in and prevent you from achieving what you truly want in life.

You have all heard the phrase that “You are what you think” and this is derived from the way that your conscious mind has gradually programmed the real powerhouse – your subconscious. At this precise moment everything you are, everything that you do is the result of the way you think.

That is what people are talking about when they ask you to practice positive thinking. That is why you are urged to control your anger and negative actions. When you reinforce such thoughts with this kind of passion then you are really switching on the turbo charger and making it even more difficult for your subconscious to work well on your behalf.

All this can be changed because you are choosing the programme. You have to decide to upgrade your own personal software and clear away the virus of negativity which has been holding you back for such a long time.

You cannot control the subconscious mind using willpower, it will only respond to consistent and focussed thought preferably when you are relaxed. Your first step is to decide how you want your life to change and we are not talking here about material things such as money or a new job – these will follow later when the new you begins to emerge. While you are at it resolve to be kinder, less angry and judgemental – these negative emotions only harm one individual – you.

What kind of person do you want to be? Write it all down to begin with as it will help to clarify your thoughts and then begin to focus with thoughts such as “I am success” or “I am fearless.” Begin to see what you really want and forget about the fears or the “what ifs” and leave your subconscious free to work with the Universe.

It might be difficult to begin with because you are probably used to thinking in a negative way. When these thoughts appear in your head, challenge them and remind your subconscious that they have no room in your life anymore.

Gradually your focus will be more on the good things and slowly your subconscious will respond. It will begin to send different signals to a new revitalised you and when that happens all of the success and happiness that you have always craved will appear.

You are the virtual Microsoft of your own brain – all you have to do is change the programme for it to begin.

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