What you occupy your mind with is of essential importance to your physical and psychological health. Research shows that humans have an average of 60,000 thoughts every day. Although the idea of consistently controlling your thoughts can seem overwhelming, it is one of the most important skills you will ever learn. When you learn to gain control of your mind, you learn self motivation and can begin to take control of your life.
"You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully."
-Tony Robbins
When you change your mind, you change:
We are transformed by renewing our minds. It's an obvious and simple truth, but the trick is to put it into practice. You must train yourself to stand back and think about your thinking. It will be difficult at first, but if you persevere, it will become natural to you.
But you must dedicate yourself. Take your mental and physical health seriously. If you don't have the determination to cultivate a new disposition for yourself, you may as well give up hope of any significant change. But persevere, and not only will you be able to easily handle life's difficulties. Your difficulties will begin to disappear, and as you overcome challenges, you will gain self motivation.
So here is your challenge:
For one week, do not dwell on any negative thoughts that come to you, under any circumstances. Watch yourself constantly. If you allow yourself to dwell on a negative thought, you must stop the diet, prepare yourself again, and start the 7 days from the beginning.
Negative thinking includes any thoughts of:
People have thousands of negative thoughts a day. Having these thoughts are normal, and does not violate the rules of the diet. The point is to acknowledge your negative thoughts as they come along, and move on. Do not spend any time dwelling on them. Some negative thoughts can be persistent, and hard to get rid of. If this happens, confront the thought by asking yourself these 4 questions:
Is this thought true?
Do I have absolute proof that it is true?
How do I feel when I have this thought?
How do I feel when I don't have this thought?
After 7 days without entertaining a single negative thought, your new way of life will be so much easier. You will have an abundance of self motivation, and you will never want to go back to the old way of doing things. It is common for a lot of difficulties to arise in the beginning. This is a good sign, as it means that things are being stirred up in your mind. But remember, if you don't follow the diet strictly, it will not work.
You may have to start over a few times, which is normal. But keep in mind that this is not a diet to be taken lightly. Only your own reactions can throw you off. It is up to you to be in control of your mind. Good luck!
Michael Locklear is a researcher and consultant with 30 years experience, studying health, nutrition, and human behavior. He has been president of the Global Peace Project since 1986, and he administrates the website www.Natural-Remedies-for-Total-Health.com as part of the Global Peace Project Educational Outreach Program. You can also find him on The Total Health Blog.