Monday, February 21, 2011

THINK IT THROUGH

People often make life difficult for themselves by indulging in negative thoughts.
These thoughts are often not based on facts but on outdated ideas and assumptions.

Everyone takes on a certain way of thinking about things from an early age.  The values you absorb (unconsciously) while growing up have a decided influence on your behaviour, your feelings and your sense of well being.

You can reset yourself however by asking yourself the following questions whenever a negative thought pops into your head:
How can I know that for sure?
Are there other possibilities?
Does it really matter?
What’s the point of thinking this if I don’t even know if it’s true?
Does this thought make me any happier?
Is it costing me energy unnecessarily?
Is it possible for me to find another – positive – viewpoint for the situation?
What’s in it for me?
It may seem absurdly simple to ask these questions, but then assumptions you’ve grown up with are absurdly difficult to shift.