Let’s Change the Way We Think

Adopting a “yes” attitude can generate unyielding gratitude and love. 

A brand new mind is like an untouched forest. As we cultivate life experiences, our thoughts carve grooves, little pathways in these forests, sometimes growing so deep and worn in our being that our thoughts become automatic, second nature.

Unfortunately, these grooves often take the form of a big fat negative. Suddenly we find ourselves waking up in the morning with some form of “no” being the first thing that comes to mind. We’re not ready to get up. We fear what lies ahead. The stresses of work. The energy we’ll have to exert. Somehow, we’ve become programmed to think unpleasant thoughts right off the bat.

But we can change that. So let’s change it.

It will require work. It will require a conscious effort. It may even require us to step out of our comfort zones. But positivity is certainly something worth working towards.

Let’s make the switch from negative to positive every day – beginning as soon as we wake up. Each morning, let’s open our eyes with a fresh perspective. Let’s think yes, not no.

Yes. It’s the morning. A brand new start. I’m here. I’m alive. I’m comfortable. The beautiful marble we call Earth is spinning, and I’m so lucky to be here for the ride.

If it’s too much to conjure up a few sentences like this, just think one little word: yes. Say it in your head, smile, repeat. Then get up and start your day.

For me, the stress really starts when I get on the subway. It’s Monday morning. I’m running late. The train is packed. I have 8792 bags with me. Someone just stepped on my foot.

In times like this, my initial reaction is to resist. I just want this to be over. But lately I’ve been practicing acceptance. “This is where I am right now,” I think. This is what is happening, and I’m okay with that.” To help me through it, I like to repeat pleasant words inside my head, usually one four-letter word in particular: love. I repeat it over and over until it makes me smile.

Yes, I’m still stuck in a crowded subway car, and that is totally okay. Suddenly my mood lightens, the weight lifts, and everything seems funny. The motion of the car flings someone’s arm into my back, and we glance at each other and smile. We’re all in this together. What more can we do but laugh?

I also like to think happy words when I’m doing something in auto-pilot mode, like cleaning my apartment. To keep myself positive and in the moment, I make up a little mantra on the fly, and repeat it in a rhythm as I move. “I’m happy. I’m healthy. I’m here. I love. I am loved. I’m alive.”

Think of words that make you feel good. The ones that make you breathe a sigh of relief just by picturing them in your mind. Beauty. Ease. Peace. Use whatever works for you.

With a little practice and a lot of persistence, we can change the way we think. We can carve new pathways inside our minds – ones that will work to both our own advantage and everyone else’s. Positivity cultivates more positivity. Love brings about more love.

If you do nothing else, promise me one thing: that tomorrow, you’ll wake up thinking “yes.”

+What techniques do you use to help yourself think more positively?

Follow Brigette on Instagram, and have a look at her blog Hummusbird!