The Power of Positive Thinking

photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Every self-help guru on the planet will tell you that the way to experience happiness, prosperity, and health is through the doorway of positive thinking. And while that’s easy to talk about when all is going great in your life, it may not be much comfort to you if things are crashing and burning all around you.

But the self-help gurus are right about the power of positive thinking. You can begin to take control of your thoughts and guide them in the direction you want your life to go. Your thoughts are the driving force toward your destiny.

Use these simple strategies to harness the power of positive thinking and heading toward the happiness you crave:

1. Smile and be thankful. Much of what you experience in life depends on what you pay attention to. Each day, some things will go right and some things will go wrong. If you pay more attention to the things that go right and dwell on those things, you’ll experience more happiness.

* Smile and greet everyone you meet warmly. Smiles are contagious, and you’ll instantly begin to feel a difference inside yourself.

* Pause throughout the day to think about things that you are grateful for. The more you practice gratitude, the better you’ll feel about life and about yourself.

2. Surround yourself with positive people. Most people who soar to incredible heights of accomplishment in their lives do so because they surround themselves with positive, encouraging people. It’s hard to have a positive outlook when everyone around you is complaining all the time.

* If you surround yourself with people who routinely seek the good inside of you, you’ll begin to do the same. Spend less time with negative people and more time with those who speak words of support into your life. If you do, you’ll experience greater power, self-confidence and joy.

3. Think constructively. For positive thinking to truly make a difference in your life, you must replace negative thoughts as they occur. Most important, however, is the need to get whatever benefits you can out of the negative thought before you erase it from your mind.

* Instead of ignoring your negative thought and hoping it will go away, ask yourself if the critic inside of you is trying to teach you something valuable. Take note of the lesson, and then quickly discard the negative thought. Replace it with a positive perspective on the same situation.

* Whenever you experience negative thinking, ask yourself: “What else could this mean?” If someone treats you unfairly, it could mean that they don’t like you very much. But it probably means they’re just having a bad day. How can you help? Do you see how this question can change your entire outlook?

4. Use positive affirmations. Often, when faced with a stressful situation, we resort to a pattern of thinking and behaving that has become a habit. How do you create new habits that support your success instead of sabotaging it? Positive affirmations are the key.

* Write out the things you want in life and the qualities you want to possess. Write these statements in the present tense, and use positive language. Repeat these statements to yourself over and over again. Do this every day, and before long you’ll strongly believe the words of the affirmation you’ve created for yourself.

* If a habit of thinking is holding you back, what’s stopping you from creating a new habit? Try this today and experience its power for yourself.

The negative thoughts of the critic inside of you serve a valuable purpose. Things aren’t always rosy, and it’s important to learn from your experiences so that you don’t make the same mistakes. However, you can begin to harness the power of positive thinking today. Apply these simple strategies to move closer to the joy and success you deserve.

My life is filled with everything good. Inside my heart there is an overabundance of positive emotions. When I think about my life, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all my blessings. True joy is the result of a grateful heart.

There are innumerable sources of joy in my life. My family and friends are the most precious gifts I have ever received. The unconditional love that I experience with them, especially in times of need, fill my heart with joy.

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My joy is contagious and constant. I choose to rejoice in every circumstance. I am filled with joy because I focus on the good things and give thanks for my life.

The quality of my life matters; therefore I strive to live the best life I can. My goal is not merely to survive, but to live out the plan that has been set before me.

I practice healthy habits in order to enjoy good health. Good health improves my stamina and my ability to enjoy life. When I feel good physically, I feel good emotionally.

Everywhere I look, I see a new source of happiness. I pay attention to the little details that make life great.

Each day, I aim to share a deep laugh with someone. I allow myself to release my inhibitions, throw my head back, and laugh like a child. I surround myself with happy people in order to keep the feeling alive.

Today, I choose to look at life through appreciative eyes that focus on the small things that bring me joy, health, and happiness.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are my sources of joy?
2. How do I take care of my body?
3. What am I grateful for today?

When you concentrate on the positive, your life will be positive. It sounds simple enough, but many times people let negative emotions get the better of them. You have the power within you to break those negative habits. Once the negativity is gone, you can speed up the whole process of dream achievement.

Try using the following ways to speed up your law of attraction results:

1. Feel strong emotions in your visualizations. When you visualize the results you want, put your whole heart into the process. If you go after something half-heartedly, whether physically or through visualizations, your results are half-hearted also.

• Feel the happiness in living the life you dream, the pride in your achievements that got you there, and the pure joy of success.

2. Focus on the present. See yourself successful in the present rather than the future. If you keep thinking about the good things that are coming tomorrow, they’ll never be here today! Take full advantage of today to do what you can to achieve your dreams. Even small steps add up to big achievements.

3. Use vision boards effectively. Whenever you see these pictures, let the positive emotions of your meditations sweep over you. Thoroughly enjoy them in the present moment. Take time to feel your emotions without holding anything back.

4. Exhibit the qualities of your dream life. Determine the qualities of your dream life and exemplify them today. For example, in your dreams, you may be confident and generous toward others. Show confidence and generosity now instead of waiting until after you’re successful, because showing them will, in fact, make them arrive sooner.

5. Keep your thoughts positive. Thinking positively allows you to bring on a mindset of gratitude and abundance. Recognize when your mind starts to shift to negative thoughts and do whatever it takes to correct the problem.

• Focus on positive affirmations or self-talk to replace the negative thoughts as soon as they occur.

6. Avoid dwelling on any negative situation. The power of thought can alter any situation. Focusing on the negative attracts more negative back to you. Alternatively, focusing on the positive is more likely to result in positive outcomes. So whenever a challenge arises, seek a solution and take action to overcome it rather than wallowing in self-pity.

7. Be as clear as you can. Strive for the utmost clarity when focusing on your dreams, as every detail makes it more real to you. This will allow you to give all of your positive energy to your thoughts as you visualize.

8. Believe in the process. You’re belief in the process of the law of attraction is vital to your success. You might strive for complete positivity, but if you have doubts about the outcome deep down, then you’ll still allow negative thoughts to influence you. You have to believe in the process because anything that’s possible can happen for you with the right mindset.

9. Be open to receive. Are you ready to receive the results you desire? For example, if you wish for a new love, do you have room for them in your life? If you remain open to the universe, it will send back what you desire most in the world.

The law of attraction entails a lot more than just sitting around thinking about what you want. The key element is inspired action. When you believe you can achieve, you’ll naturally take action to get what you want. And this is where it all comes together. When your mind and your actions are in harmony, nothing can stop you!

Everyone falls into certain patterns that are comfortable. But, by breaking out of your comfort zone every so often, you’ll experience a sense of newness in your relationship.

It’s important to seek out that certain spark you felt when you first got together with your partner. Those feelings are still there, you just might need to be creative in finding ways to bring them out again.

Here are some ways that you can reignite the passion in your relationships:

1. Go out of your way. Remember at the beginning of your relationship how you would go out of your way to make your partner extra happy? Make these efforts again! It’ll surprise your partner and be a reminder about how much you love them.

* It doesn’t have to be an everyday thing, but everyone deserves a little “above and beyond” treatment!

2. Show your gratitude. You often think to yourself how grateful you are that your partner did something for you, and it’s important to let your partner know of your gratitude, too.

* You can do this through better communication and positive actions. Many times a simple, “Thank you for…” statement will let him know how much you appreciate his efforts.

3. Be considerate. Sometimes your partner is the only one who will allow you to be blunt and abrupt. It’s important to vent, but remember to act considerate around your partner as much as you can.

4. Spend time alone together. Everyone is busy, but you need to make the extra effort to have alone time together. It’s still important to make dates with each other and do things you’ve never done before.

5. Show affection. There are certainly ways to show your affection for your partner beyond bedroom activities. Show your love for each other with gentle touches and hugs. Snuggle together on the couch and just enjoy the closeness.

6. Seek adventure. Everyone has his or her own definition of adventure. You and your partner may even find different things adventurous. Do some of these activities together. Engaging in exhilarating activities can certainly ignite the passion.

7. Enjoy your own alone time. On the other side of the coin, it’s a good idea to spend time away from your partner as well. Everyone needs space at times. Also, time apart can build up the anticipation for some of the things you may have planned with your partner.

8. Share your goals. Keep an open conversation with your partner about your future plans. Things may not always go according to plan, but it’s good to talk about your dreams and goals.

* While it’s fun to discuss what things were like at the beginning of your relationship, it’s also enjoyable to discuss where you think things are going.

9. Surprise! Surprise your partner with a gift. It doesn’t have to be something expensive; in fact, you could even make it yourself. Just explore some thoughtful ideas that will let your partner know that you care about them.

You’ll find passion in your relationship as long as you make an effort to break up the monotony. Communicate well, spend time together, and explore new activities together. When you do, you’ll discover the keys to a successful passionate relationship.

How do you feel when someone sincerely expresses his or her gratitude to you for something you did? Doesn’t it make you feel good about yourself? These positive feelings can lift you up, boost your enthusiasm, and motivate you to achieve even more.

Feeling grateful for what you have can produce the same good feelings and sustain your drive toward your goals.

This shows how gratitude can have some seriously positive snowball effects.

Here are some of the benefits of gratitude:

1. Reaching your goals. When you feel grateful, it tends to be a lasting and selfless feeling. It’s much more than just a momentary burst of positive energy; it has staying power that will provide a great boost for you to reach your goals.

• When you express your gratitude to others, ensure that you’re open and expressive. People don’t know what you’re thinking; hearing it can make all the difference.

2. Strengthened relationships. There are many ways you can express your gratitude to your loved ones, including saying, “Thank you,” writing a letter, or giving them a thoughtful gift. When you learn to avoid taking your loved ones for granted, you’ll have a long lasting and loving relationship.

• Showing gratitude is a two way street. Learn how to effectively express your gratitude and, just as importantly, to receive it as well.

3. Improved communication. Gratitude can mean better communication all around. By expressing your gratitude to strangers, they’ll be more likely to show an interest in helping you, too.

• Gratitude is such a powerful entity that it can even help you communicate with your pets! They should be appreciated too.

4. More effective constructive criticism. No matter how we express constructive criticism, it often makes the recipient defensive or even angry. No one likes a blow to the ego. In this situation, a grateful attitude can take you a long way. You can express criticism quite effectively when you also emphasize what you appreciate about them.

5. Preserving memories. You can preserve memories in a positive way when you keep a gratitude journal. You’ll be able to enjoy your memories again and again when you read about these happy times in the future.

Show Your Gratitude Every Day

Showing gratitude to others may seem like a selfless act, but it’s something that you also benefit from. When you show your gratitude every day, you change the way you think.

You’ll appreciate your good life when the majority of your thoughts remain positive. Negative thoughts can sometimes be overwhelming, and just because you have them doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. They happen to everyone, but you can strive to keep them to a minimum with the help of a grateful attitude.

One way to show your gratitude every day is to remind yourself of the big picture when a negative thought arises. If a petty argument with your spouse makes you feel angry and heated, take a deep breath and think for a moment. Remember that the argument is not permanent and, instead, feel grateful for the gift of this relationship.

Our days on this earth are numbered so we must cherish the time that we do have and enjoy the benefits of living each day as if it were our last.

When I awake in the morning, I give thanks for the new day. The good feelings I generate start my day in a perfect way, and I find that one good thing leads to another. This positive boost helps me fly through my daily tasks with energy and momentum.

I thank my spouse for the things he does for me. This makes him feel loved and appreciated and he goes out of his way to do even more good things for me. It’s a never-ending cycle of love!

I find things to thank my children for every day. When they do a good job on anything, I thank them for their effort, motivating them to continue. My happiness is even greater when I see them, too, discovering the joys of gratitude and telling others, “Thank you.”

As my day goes on, I thank my co-workers for their efforts and my clients for their business. In return, I receive their loyalty and friendship.

I thank my friends for being there for me. They’re always there to lend a helping hand and cheer me on.

I realize that even the challenges of my day arise for good reason and I’m grateful for the lessons I learn from these obstacles. Invariably, my challenges bring me closer to my goals, in one way or another, as I seek solutions.

Today, I strive to feel gratitude, enjoy it, and let it show in how I treat others.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I let myself feel and enjoy gratitude and its benefits?
2. How has showing someone my gratitude brought me something good in return?
3. How can I show my gratitude more often?

The Law of Attraction states that positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative. In other words, if you focus on the positive, you’ll be rewarded with positive things. In contrast, if you focus on negative aspects of your life, you’ll attract other negative things back to you.

Does it seem too simple to be true? That’s because it is! This law can bring good things into your life if you understand how you can use it to your benefit.

Here are some examples of the Law of Attraction in action:

1.    Health. Have you experienced health issues in your life? You can use the Law of Attraction to enjoy better health.

•    Be thankful for the fact that you’re alive and that you have another day to enjoy life to its fullest!

•    Remove negative thoughts and feelings from your mind and ask for healing.

•    Picture yourself as strong, healthy, and vibrant. You can even visualize the cells in your body conquering germs and disease, rebuilding themselves, and busily functioning at peak performance.

2.    Love. Many people have found their soul mate by using the principles that govern the Law of Attraction. You’ll find that love and your subconscious are both very powerful forces. Gratitude is imperative to achieve results.

•    Be thankful for the love and relationships you’ve been blessed with and ask for your heart’s desire regarding love.

•    Remove all negative thoughts and feelings so the subconscious will be able to process your request as pure and important.

•    Picture yourself with the person of your dreams – holding hands, smiling, looking into each other’s eyes, and so on.

3.    Money. Is it okay to use the Law of Attraction for something as material as money? The answer is yes! You can definitely apply the principles to attract wealth. As long as you properly request it, this too can be answered. Practice just as you would for anything else.

•    Be thankful for the money you do have, no matter how little.

•    Clear your mind of all negative thoughts and feelings and picture yourself with the money you desire. See yourself buying what you want, paying all your bills, and knowing that there’s always extra money in your bank account.

•    Let your subconscious take you to a place where you already have the money.

If you do these things sincerely and consistently, you’ll be rewarded with better health, more passionate love, and wealth.

However, you must have an open mind and heart. If you harbor any doubt in the process, it won’t work. Also, remember that wishful thinking without action is useless. Make sure to follow up your positive thoughts with positive actions that guide you toward your goals.

The Law of Attraction has worked for countless individuals. Use these tips to implement these principles in your life and reap the rewards today, tomorrow, and forever!

To do this correctly, we must first understand what the Law of Attraction means and what its guiding principles are. Thankfully, they’re quite simple and easy to comprehend.

The Law of Attraction states that negative attracts negative and positive attracts positive. The universe can understand our subconscious minds, and it delivers things according to the way we’re thinking.

If we want the Law of Attraction to provide us with positive rewards, joy, and happiness, here are some simple strategies to follow:

1. Always give thanks. For us to live the Law of Attraction on a continuous basis, we must always give gratitude. What this means is that, no matter what we have up to this point in time, we must profess thanks for it.

• If you sincerely practice this on a continuous basis, you’ll be rewarded with many positive things.

• A good way to practice this on a daily basis is to give thanks each day upon rising and at night before going to bed. At these times of the day, our subconscious mind is most receptive.

• Proclaiming gratitude keeps us humble and reminds us of all the good things in our lives.

2. Escape negative thoughts and feelings. More than likely your life is extremely hectic and stress-filled. It’s easy to become frustrated and negative about a lot of issues and situations. According to the principles of the Law of Attraction, we must redirect these feelings immediately. Remember that positive attracts positive, but we also must not forget that negative attracts negative.

• Because of this, if we focus only on the negative, we’ll only attract negative things back into our existence. For example, if you’re in a long supermarket line, instead of thinking about how much you hate food shopping, think of your kids’ faces when you make their favorite meal.

• There are many people in this world who live a positive existence; those are the kind of people you must emulate.

3. Voice what you want. As per the Law of Attraction, if you request something, it will be brought to you. Do you want happy children, more money, love, and a well-paid job? All this can be yours, but you need to request this through your subconscious.

• For instance, if you’d like love brought into your existence, you must truly picture yourself with love in your life. Imagine how happy you are, the smiles on your faces, and enjoying things together.

• Just remember that you must request this sincerely. Only true positive energy will attract back more positive things. You can’t fake it!

The Law of Attraction proves to us that our subconscious is a powerful tool. It’s a tool that can provide us with everything our heart desires if we know how to use it correctly. Incorporate the principles of the Law of Attraction, and with an open heart, you can have a happy and fulfilling life.

The time with my family is precious to me. I cherish every moment I am with them and use our time together to strengthen our relationship through love, gratitude, and support.

I refuse to over-schedule myself or allow myself to become too busy in life. By balancing my time, I can give attention to myself and relax. I am better able to focus on each area of my life and give everything my very best.

When I balance my time effectively, my work improves, my family is respected, and I feel happier and healthier.

In my schedule, I include time for self-reflection. This enables me to grow and improve. I also give a high priority to me time and relaxation in my daily plan. My life is richer because of the quality time I give myself.

I give myself this time because I am worth it and everything in my life is made better when I am good to myself.

Today, I focus on creating a schedule that is right for me. Self-reflection and relaxation are priorities in my life so I can have leisure time to spend with my loved ones. I intend to enjoy my day fully and truly experience each moment.

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Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Have I created me time in my schedule?

2. How do I typically over-extend myself?

3. Have I taken the time to sit back and enjoy the day?

I allow myself to dream big dreams and set goals accordingly. Then I take action to make them happen.

When I set a goal, the first thing I do is divide the goal into a series of steps I can take to get me there. Each step is an easily attainable task. I schedule the easiest tasks at the beginning so I can jump right in and gain forward momentum toward my goal.

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Easy tasks also keep me focused on my goal. Each task I complete successfully gives me confidence to keep moving. I know I am one step closer to my goal and it makes me eager to take the next step.

I acknowledge that, no matter what path we choose in life, there will be challenges. I also know that success comes to those who persevere. So I do my best to anticipate challenges and discover their solutions.

My action plan is my map to my treasure! Even if I need to change my path to go around a bump in the road, I do not get lost. By keeping my focus on my dream, I find my way back, certain that success awaits me.

I use tools, such as affirmations, meditation, and visualization to keep me focused on my goals. I see the trappings of success within me and I feel gratitude for this wonderful life.

Today, my plan is to remain focused on my goals and dreams, no matter what challenges may arise.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I allow myself to dream big dreams?
2. Have I written my action plan with steps I can take to reach my goals?
3. What tools do I use to keep me focused on my goals?