Positive mindset + positive action = positive outcome

Your brain soaks up positive phrasing.

I’d like to introduce you to an idea that changed my life for the better. We’re often told that we need to think positively to achieve the outcomes that we want in life. That’s true, but there’s a second component that you can implement today that will bolster your efforts. If you want to see more success in your personal and professional life, read on.

Our brains do not hear negative language, for example, when you tell yourself, ‘I will not eat chocolate’, what are brain is actually hearing is ‘I will eat chocolate’. Our brain does not hear negative words like, won’t, don’t, can’t and no. We need to speak to ourselves in positive language. This is just a simple reframing of your intentions. For example, instead of saying, ‘I don’t want to pay too much for my insurance’, say, ‘I will spend 30 minutes researching my insurance to get the best deal’. This will help motivate and you hold yourself more accountable. Changing your thoughts to include a simple action-oriented statement will give you focus and a clear goal to achieve.

There’s an easy way to reinforce this positive messaging. Approach your state of mind from a physical perspective, too. That’s right, your body also influences your thoughts and feelings. Don’t believe me? Have you ever felt sick when you opened an unexpectedly large bill? Have you felt your shoulders tense up before a meeting and argued instead of negotiating constructively? Do you find it difficult to get motivated when you’re slumped on the couch, even though you’re excited to attend to your plans?

Change your body language to change your mood and thoughts. You can choose to become conscious of this on a daily basis or use it whenever you notice negative language is slipping into your day. Sit up straight and relax your shoulders. If you’ve been sitting for a while, get up and take a walk around the office. Take some deep breaths to calm your fight-or-flight mechanism.

Positivity can spiral upwards in the same way a negative thought can begin to pull you down into a self-reinforcing trap. If you frame your thoughts positively and use your body to encourage a relaxed and happy state, you will begin to see more good things every day.

Use your reframed thoughts and body language to get more done during your day. Positive goals like, ‘I will make three business-related calls before 11am’ will help you stay focussed and feel excited about moving closer to your goals. Before you call, sit up, relax your shoulders and smile.

Now you have your goals in mind and a strategy for bringing your actions in line with your intentions. Next week we’ll examine self-sabotage and negative thinking. They can cause serious blockages on your road to success – let’s clear them together.

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This is the second article in my goal setting series. Check back here every Monday to see the next installment!

Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four