What Do You Believe?

It is said we can change the way we are by how we think. In an article on the Mayo Clinic website it states, "Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information".

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking."

 But can you turn those negative habits into positive ones?  

Carolyn Kaufman, a psychologist, writing in PsychologyToday.com, says " A self-fulfilling prophesy is a belief that comes true because we are acting as if it is already true. . . Our expectation that we will see a particular outcome changes our behavior, which shapes the way others see us.  In turn, others provide the feedback we've set ourselves up to get, which serves to reinforce the original belief.

In her book, THINKING WRITE, Kelly L. Stone says we can program our subconscious with one line, declarative statements.  These statements are phrased in the present text so the subconscious will act on them now.  When you say "I will" the subconscious thinks that  action is for sometime in the future and will not respond with the wanted outcome. Some examples of these declarative statements are:
I write easily and well every day.
I am creative.
I meet my word count ever day.
I am a fast writer.

The results aren't instantaneous and it might be a while for the subconscious to take hold.  Also, they, the statements, need to be backed up by actions and desire to become true.

Do you feel by saying such things and backing them with positive action, you can change your habits? I'm not so sure it would work with everything.  I'm a slow writer because my ideas come slowly and feel no amount of desire or talking to myself will increase my speed.  Ms. Stone says make yourself write faster, but how can I do that if the ideas aren't there?  Maybe I should start with the first suggestion - I write easily and well everyday.  Hey , it's worth a try. : )

What are your thoughts about this? Is it really positive thinking or the action of positive changes and/or decisions?

I'll leave you with another little thing I found that I do believe in.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.