CHANGING YOUR FLOW OF THOUGHTS

While you are reading this I do not want you to think about
your shoes (or your feet if your not wearing shoes).
Through the entire article never at any time are you to think of the color, style or fit of your shoes nor the
temperature or feel of your feet.

Why such a ridiculous way to start this article – well to
prove a point. The first thing most of you did, of course,
was think about your shoes or your feet. Even though you
were specifically instructed not to, you did it for at
least a moment. That is how the human mind works. When
you consciously attempt not to think of a specific thought,
you’ll generally think of it between 6 and 15 times in a
5-minute period.

This works in the realm of negative thoughts as well.
Focusing your power on trying not to think negative
thoughts can and will prompt negative thinking. View
thinking as a flowing stream of water, actually its more
like a strong river. The current starts off as a trickle
and builds into a rushing power that can erode the very
earth it winds though. You thoughts are much like this
river in that you cannot stop them. You can however change
the flow to your advantage. Changing the flow of your
thoughts is possible, stopping them is not. Changing the
flow from negative to positive will keep that river of
thought from eroding deep, dark, dismal ravines into your
attitude, and into your life.

You can think discouraging, disheartening and depressing
things to yourself; or you can think inspiring, motivating
and rousing things to yourself, but again you will not be
able to stop thinking things to yourself all together. So
instead of attempting to build a dam for your river of
thoughts, channel and direct them in the way you WANT them
to go.

How? That is a good question, and in it hides the answer.
You channel your thoughts in the direction you desire with,
questions. However, your questions have to be empowering
questions. You will cause yourself more harm than good by
asking, “Why do I always get the projects nobody else
wants?”

You want to ask a question or questions that will move you
forward and empower you to take action. Like: “How can I
accomplish this project and enjoy the process?” Now you
have directed any negative thinking to a more positive
flow. This positive flow will encourage action and give
you results.

If you are tackling a big problem ask questions like, “How
can I break this down into workable steps?” “How can I
solve the first step, the second step and so on?” Or “What
is the first action to resolving this first step and so
on?”

Should you be going through a “bad” experience -- if there
is such a thing, for while we have experiences we don’t
enjoy, are they truly BAD in the long run? Don’t we gain
valuable knowledge and experience we can apply later? But I
digress. Let us get back to the topic at hand. If you are
going through a “bad” experience, then channel your flow
with questions like; “What can I learn from this
experience?” “How can I grow from this experience?” “How
can I keep this from happening to me again?” “How can I
make lemonade out of this lemon?” (Remember Velcro was
actually a failed experiment so was the glue that now is
used on Post-It Notes – both of these lemons have become
sweet profitable lemonade for the inventors and their
companies)

Now that you have asked your question(s) really let your
mind run with it. Don’t just ask the question once, ask it
again and again. Whenever you have a minute of spare time
or when your alone driving home, seriously mull over the
question and let your mind turn over to you the ideas and
actions that will bring you to the positive results of changing your flow of thought.

(Oh, and remember don’t think about your shoes!)
Think Successfully.
Tracy