Changing Your Flow of Thoughts
CHANGING YOUR FLOW OF THOUGHTS By Tracy Brinkmann
While you are reading this I do not want you to think about your
shoes (or your feet if your not wearing shoes). Through the
entire article never at any time are you to think of the color,
style or fit of your shoes nor the temperature or feel of your
feet.
Why such a ridiculous way to start this article - well to prove
a point. The first thing most of you did, of course, was think
about your shoes or your feet. Even though you were specifically
instructed not to, you did it for at least a moment. That is how
the human mind works. When you consciously attempt not to think
of a specific thought, you'll generally think of it between 6
and 15 times in a 5-minute period.
This works in the realm of negative thoughts as well. Focusing
your power on trying not to think negative thoughts can and will
prompt negative thinking. View thinking as a flowing stream of
water, actually its more like a strong river. The current starts
off as a trickle and builds into a rushing power that can erode
the very earth it winds though. You thoughts are much like this
river in that you cannot stop them. You can however change the
flow to your advantage. Changing the flow of your thoughts is
possible, stopping them is not. Changing the flow from negative
to positive will keep that river of thought from eroding deep,
dark, dismal ravines into your attitude, and into your life.
You can think discouraging, disheartening and depressing things
to yourself; or you can think inspiring, motivating and rousing
things to yourself, but again you will not be able to stop
thinking things to yourself all together. So instead of
attempting to build a dam for your river of thoughts, channel
and direct them in the way you WANT them to go.
How? That is a good question, and in it hides the answer. You
channel your thoughts in the direction you desire with,
questions. However, your questions have to be empowering
questions. You will cause yourself more harm than good by
asking, "Why do I always get the projects nobody else wants?"
You want to ask a question or questions that will move you
forward and empower you to take action. Like: "How can I
accomplish this project and enjoy the process?" Now you have
directed any negative thinking to a more positive flow. This
positive flow will encourage action and give you results.
If you are tackling a big problem ask questions like, "How can I
break this down into workable steps?" "How can I solve the first
step, the second step and so on?" Or "What is the first action
to resolving this first step and so on?"
Should you be going through a "bad" experience -- if there is
such a thing, for while we have experiences we don't enjoy, are
they truly BAD in the long run? Don't we gain valuable knowledge
and experience we can apply later? But I digress. Let us get
back to the topic at hand. If you are going through a "bad"
experience, then channel your flow with questions like; "What
can I learn from this experience?" "How can I grow from this
experience?" "How can I keep this from happening to me again?"
"How can I make lemonade out of this lemon?" (Remember Velcro
was actually a failed experiment so was the glue that now is
used on Post-It Notes - both of these lemons have become sweet
profitable lemonade for the inventors and their companies)
Now that you have asked your question(s) really let your mind
run with it. Don't just ask the question once, ask it again and
again. Whenever you have a minute of spare time or when your
alone driving home, seriously mull over the question and let
your mind turn over to you the ideas and actions that will bring
you to the positive results of changing your flow of thought.
(Oh, and remember don't think about your shoes!) Think
Successfully & Take Action. Tracy