MoHow Posted By Dr. MO In my opinion life is much better for each one of us when we are able to identify negative thinking habits and replace them with positive ones. Negative thinking is much too prevalent in our communications and our thinking and most people are actually unaware of it.

The key to more happiness is learning how to spot these thoughts and then replace them with positive ones. When you do, you’ll notice a huge difference in your life. So let’s take a look at 5 common negative thinking patterns, and how to replace them with positive thinking ones.

1. I will be happy when….

If you think you can’t be happy until you reach a certain point, or until you reach a certain income, or have a certain type of house or car, you’ll never be happy. That elusive goal is always just out of reach. Once we reach those goals, we are not satisfied,we want more.

Solution: Learn to be happy with what you have, where you are, and who you are, right at this moment. Happiness doesn’t have to be some state that we want to get to eventually, it can be found right now. Learn to count your blessings, and see the positive in your situation. This might sound simplistic, but it works.

2. I wish I were as_____as____…..

We’ll never be as pretty, as talented, as rich, as sculpted, as cool, as somebody, somewhere. There will always be someone better, if you look hard enough. Therefore, if we compare ourselves to others like this, we will always pale, and will always fail, and will always feel bad about ourselves. This is no way to be happy.

Solution: Stop comparing yourself to others, and look instead at yourself, what are your strengths, your accomplishments, your successes? What do you love about yourself? Learn to love who you are, right now, not who you want to become. There is good in each of us, love in each of us, and a wonderful human spirit in every one of us.

3. I am a failure …..

Everyone has situations where they don’t succeed the way they hoped. I have certainly come up short in things I have done. However, looking at your endeavours as failures only makes you feel bad about yourself. By thinking in this way, we will develop a negative self-image and begin to call ourselves failures.

Solution: Focus on your successes and regard your failures as temporary setbacks. Look back on your life, in the last month, or year, or 5 years. And remember your successes. If you have trouble with this, start documenting them,keep a success journal, either in a notebook or online. Document your success each day, or each week. When you look back at what you’ve accomplished, over a year, you will be amazed. It’s an incredibly positive feeling.

4. Bad things always happen to me…

Things happen in life that we would prefer not to happen. If we dwell on them, they will frustrate us and bring us down.

Solution: See these things as a part of the ebb and flow of life. They are neither good nor bad, and they certainly don’t happen too us. Suffering is a part of the human condition, and it passes. All pain goes away, eventually. Meanwhile, don’t let it hold you back. Don’t dwell on things that don’t turn out well in the short term. And learn to take all things in stride, and learn from them. What we call bad things can be viewed as opportunities to grow and learn and get stronger, in disguise.

5. I can’t….

If you don’t think you can do something, you probably won’t. Especially for the big stuff. Discipline has nothing to do with it, motivation and focus has everything to do with it. And if you put stuff off for “some other time”, you’ll most likelynever get it done. Negative thinking like this inhibits us from accomplishing anything.

Solution: Turn your thinking around, and say “Who says so?” Find ways to make yourself a success at your goal. If at first you don’t succeed, learn from your mistakes, and do it again. Instead of putting a goal off for later, start now. And focus on one goal at a time, putting all of your energy into it, and getting as much help from others as you can. You can really move mountains if you start with positive thinking.

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