Last month, we talked about being positive through the recession, recognizing our challenges and facing up to them. I have decided this month to take this one step further and look at how our thought processes can improve our results

For example, the trick with weight loss is not just about the food that we put into our mouths but also the thought processes that go on in our minds. My belief is that positive thinking is vital to all the successes we have in our lives. The thoughts and words we use are fundamental to us achieving our goals.
At my Weightwatchers meeting this week one of my members disclosed that she set herself an initial goal in April to lose two stone by the end of July. She took on her challenge knowing it would be a difficult task but was determined to be successful. She has had weight issues since being in her thirties, which undermined her confidence and as the confidence dropped, the waistline grew to the point that she felt her health was in jeopardy.

I know there were times when she felt it was a tough challenge, however, she acknowledged that the support from the group, friends and family gave her the self belief that she would achieve her goal. In mid July she delightedly announced she had lost her two stone in weight a couple of weeks early! She immediately set herself a new goal and clearly was an inspiration to all the members. Her increased self-confidence is not just evident in her dress size but also in her face, expressions, voice and posture.

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that allows into the mind, thoughts, words and images that are conducive to growth and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favourable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. On the other hand negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and feelings. When the mind is negative, we can feel unmotivated, unhappy and down. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

It is possible to re-programme our thinking for success. Switching away from negative thoughts is known as cognitive restructuring. Firstly it is important to recognise our own negative thoughts and then challenge them. If you catch yourself using words such as can’t, never, try, and not my fault, it’s likely that you think and talk negatively. Once you are aware of your negative language, you can identify it for what it is, then make changes and begin to turn away from the negative and move towards the positive.

Look for the successes rather than the failings. There is a statement I use in my counselling work that says, “There is no failure – only feedback.” Ask yourself the question, “What could I do differently next time to get a different result?”
Once you start thinking positively you will immediately feel optimistic. Repeating your positive thoughts will help boost your confidence to manage to achieve successful results, in whatever area of your life that you desire. The use of positive affirmations can be quite simple statements such as, “I can lose weight” or “I am worth it,” allow us to entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images and see in our minds eye what we really want to happen.