by: Glen Hopkins
H. Jackson Brown Jr. once wrote, Your mind can only hold one thought at a time, make it a positive and constructive one. As simple as these words may seem, they are in fact, very true. You see, if you are looking for a way to feel better at any given moment, all you have to do is change what you are focusing on. Your brain is a very powerful tool that you own and you should use to your advantage.
When was the last time you were reminiscing about a great time in your life and it made you feel terrible? When was the last time you were thinking about a painful event in your life and it made you feel good? I’d venture to say you answered ‘never’ to both of these questions. That’s because what you focus on in life is what you get! Would you be willing to agree that Mother Teresa felt a great deal of love in her life because love was her main focus in life?
Understanding this, next time you find yourself in a less than desirable situation, be sure to find the positive side of it and focus your attention on that. Not only will you feel better about the situation but also you will actually be in a better frame of mind to work through it. With this mindset you will find yourself focusing on the solution rather than the problem.
The best way to control your focus is to ask yourself good questions. Such as, What can I find that is good in this situation? What have I learned from this that will make me more successful the next time? How can I make this situation better? By asking yourself effective questions, you will force your brain to look for and find a solution for what you can do to solve a problem and how you can make a situation better. On the other hand, if you ask yourself self-defeating questions such as, Why does this always happen to me? Why can’t I have that? What did I do to deserve this? Your brain will look for those exact answers and tell you why bad things happen to you, why you can’t have something and why you deserve something bad. Do you see what is happening here? You are confirming to yourself why you don’t deserve something and why bad things happen to you. Now it’s one thing when someone else tells you something like that, but when you tell it to yourself, you are sure to believe it! I guarantee you will always believe yourself on a subconscious level if not on a conscious level. In other words, be careful what you ask for!
Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
So practice focusing on positive thoughts and learn to ask yourself effective questions that will lead to constructive answers. If you look hard enough, there will always be a positive side to every situation. And for the challenges you must face in life, focus on the solution, not the problem. If you focus on the problem at hand, you will never find the solution. Focus on your dreams and they will become a reality. Ask yourself How can I reach my dream? Don’t be surprised when your brain gives you the answer!
This article may be reprinted with the following attachment:
Copyright (c) 1999 Glen Hopkins