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How much are you focusing on today?
When we’re feeling negative, frequently it’s because we’re looking anywhere but where we are. Either our eyes are on the past and on the mistakes we’ve made and the opportunities we’ve missed, or we’re off worrying about the future, and what may or may not happen. We forget to live in the moment and embrace the space where we are right now. We’re not acting with mindfulness, and as a result, we’re missing out on a world of possibility.
Self-talk likewise can become sidetracked in the same way. The statements we tell ourselves typically focus on the things we’ve done wrong, or what we’re likely to screw up tomorrow. Our entire inner dialogue takes us down this road away from the current moment and off into the time machine of our mind where every time is on an equal level with ‘right now.’
This is where mindfulness becomes a powerful tool to tame negative self-talk. How?
Begin with Acceptance
You are where you are. End of story. Every person is a compilation of everything that’s come before, and every hope and dream for the future. They’re messy and complicated. Sometimes they do things they aren’t proud of, sometimes they do. Whatever the case, wherever you are right now is you. Embrace the person you are in this moment. There’s no need to dredge up the past nor fret about the future when you’re focused on the you in this moment. There is only acceptance in the here and now.
Be Open to Learning
Whatever happened before becomes a lesson to you. What did you discover about yourself? Start seeing every mistake as an opportunity to learn. Nothing more. There is no judgment, only the calm acceptance that this too was a building block for the you of today. Remind yourself of these lessons but allow no other thoughts to intrude.
Discover Flow
Embrace positive activities. Find the things you can get lost in, where everything seems to flow without awareness of the passage of time. These are the things you’re meant to do. Track the emotions as you engage in flow. What are the thoughts springing from these moments? Feel your confidence build, embrace the positivity of your inner dialogue. This is you at your finest.
Mindfulness is not hard to learn. It’s about awareness of being conscious of what’s here in front of you this moment. It’s about being aware of the you of the moment, and the things you’re discovering in this awareness. When you genuinely reach this state, you’ll find there’s no room for negativity at all. Just a more positive version of yourself, reflected in your contentment and the dialogue within yourself.
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