Change your thinking, change your life.

It’s true you can change your life by changing how you think. It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you change the quality of your thoughts, you will eventually change the quality of your life.

Too many people think their circumstances need to change for their life to change.  The truth is, your circumstances are a byproduct of your thinking and your decisions.  Sure, there may be some things in your life beyond your control, but most of us have more power to change our circumstances than we realize.  Changing the way you think is the best place to start.

Below are 5 ways to change your thoughts, followed by 10 inspirational quotes on changing how you think.

5 ways to change your thoughts:

1.  Think in terms of what’s possible.  It’s easy to see only the problem and get your focus off finding a solution.  Whenever you are faced with a challenge, determine to look for what’s possible.  Be a possibility thinker instead of a problem thinker.  It’s easy to fall into a negative cycle of thinking when problems arise.  There’s not enough money, not enough time, not enough man power.

There will never be a perfect situation so determine to monitor your thinking and be the one to keep looking for what is possible.  You have to believe every problem has a solution, and when you think in terms of what’s possible you inspire those around you to do the same.

Your life will never change if you are constantly thinking of why something won’t work.  Look for what’s possible in every circumstance.

2.  Remember you are in control of your thoughts, emotions and reactions.  You may not be able to control every thought that pops into your head, but you can control whether or not you give it more than about 5 seconds of your thinking.  Catch yourself when your thinking turns negative and reverse that thinking immediately.  You are in charge of your thoughts, emotions and reactions.

I remember hearing Tony Robbins tell a story of a woman he was counseling.  As she sat down in his office she immediately began talking about the things that were wrong in her life, all while sobbing uncontrollably.  After a brief moment Tony abruptly interrupted her and said, “Excuse me! We have not started yet!”  The lady felt embarrassed and immediately stopped talking AND stopped crying.

He did this to prove a point to his client that she is much more in control of her emotions than she realized.

Have you ever been in a heated argument with someone and hear the phone ring with a person on the other end you needed to talk to?  In a second you go from having an angry tone, red in the face to a sweet, “Hello, how are you doing?”

You can control your emotions but too often people allow their emotions to control them.

3.  Start your day with gratitude thinking.  Get a notebook and every day start your morning by writing down everything you are thankful for.  List everything, the big and the little.  Fill up the entire page and use the next.  Do this every morning and you will jump start the positivity in your life.

Don’t take anything for granted and always be thankful for what you do have rather than complaining about what you don’t have.

4. Honor your body and stay healthy.  Get sleep, eat right, and work out.  When your work out your body releases endorphins, and your can think clearer and better.  Your mind and physical body both function better when you have adequate rest and nutrition.  This is not an area to neglect!

If you are like many people you intend to begin that work out, and tomorrow you are going to start eating healthy.  When you take control of your life, you will begin to see new results you have not seen before.  Take control of your health, for if you don’t have that you don’t have anything.

5.  Know your mindset is more important than your skill set.  I believe this with my whole heart.  As a coach I see in some athletes a lack of skill, but it is more than made up for in heart and determination.  They have a mindset that exceeds their skill level.  I would rather have this athlete than an athlete that is extremely talented but doesn’t work hard, complains, and does not have a winners mindset.

If you’ve followed me for long you know that attitude is very important to me and I believe your attitude is a small thing that makes a huge difference.

Determine what type of mindset is important to you.  Is it the mindset of perseverance?  Or optimism? Or determination and grit?  Everyone loves the person who keeps going and refuses to give up, living with a “never say die” attitude.

The crazy thing is, you cannot always control your skill level but you can control your mindset.  It’s simply a decision.

If you change your thinking you will change your life.

Go for it.  You’ve got what it takes,

Gary

10 quotes on changing your life by changing how you think

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. -Napoleon Hill

Whether you think you can or you can’t, your right. -Henry Ford

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. -James Allen

A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts. -James Allen

The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act. -Rick Warren

As a person thinketh in his heart, so is he. -Proverbs 23:7

…be transformed by the renewing of your mind… -Romans 12:2

The greatest discovery of any generation is that one can alter his life by altering the attitudes of the mind.  -William James

Change your thoughts and you change your world.
-Norman Vincent Peale

Your thoughts create your reality.  Practice positive thinking. Act the way you want to be and soon you will be the way you act. – Les Brown