Would
you like a simple way to really change your life? Instead of merely
getting by, you'll
find that your life can truly be exceptional
when you focus on positive solutions rather than the constraints of
your challenges.
This
10-Day Negative Thought Fast, originated by Emmett Fox, one of the
most popular self-help authors and speakers of the early 20th
century, is an adventure you’ll reap many benefits from.
Here
are the rules:
If
you break any of the other rules, you must start the 10 days over
from the beginning.
To get the full effect, you must complete 10 consecutive days.
Giving up negative thoughts is a little like giving up a drug;
you've got to stop using them completely, otherwise you haven't
truly quit.
You
cannot focus on a negative thought or remain in a negative emotional
state for more than five minutes. Ideally,
the time should be much shorter. Five minutes should be plenty of
time to recognize what's going on and put a stop to it. Remember,
even one instance of lingering for more than five minutes means
starting over.
You
must focus on solutions.
When the negative thoughts start, the idea is to immediately start
contemplating possible solutions. Spend your time solving your
challenges instead of focusing on them.
This sounds deceptively easy,
but you may be surprised how difficult it is to give up negativity.
We tend to think that worrying helps in some way. But you've probably
been worrying about a lot of things for a long time and they haven't
improved.
When you're faced with a
negative thought (and there will be many!), the best response is to
think to yourself, "How
can I solve or improve this challenge?"
The point is to
immediately begin focusing on solutions. When you ask a good
question, you’ll receive good answers.
Over the 10 days, you’ll
begin to form a habit of immediately recognizing a negative mental
state and then focusing on solutions for what you feel negatively
about. If you continue the process after the 10 days are completed,
you’ll develop a permanent habit that will only require a minimal
amount of maintenance.
You might need several
attempts to complete the full 10 days. It's
common to have numerous slips on day one and then a few others later
in the process.
Refrain from beating yourself up over it. Remember, you're focusing
on solutions.
Taking Your Focus Away From
A Negative Thought
One way
to help keep the negative thoughts at bay is to ask you positive
questions like the following:
- What's great about today?
- What do I like the most
about this?
- What am I most proud of?
- What am I most looking
forward to?
If you're filling your mind
with positive thoughts, there's no room for the negative stuff. And
since we can only consciously think about one thing at a time, making
the most out of your thoughts makes sense.
Try this 10-day challenge for yourself. You'll be so amazed at the results that you'll never want to go back to the old way of dwelling on the problems in your life. Embrace this process today for change!
