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Have you ever noticed the kind of thoughts you have on a daily basis? Be honest with yourself. Make today a day where you are super conscious of your thought patterns. Notice what you are thinking and saying throughout the day. You might be surprised.
For instance, when you wake up, do look forward to the day with delicious anticipation or do you allow your mind to be flooded with dread? Let's say you have a big important sales presentation scheduled. Do you find yourself already thinking how badly it will turn out or do you trust that because you will do your very best, everything will work out?
Take yourself to a restaurant for a bite to eat today. Act like a CIA agent and eavesdrop on other people's conversations. What are you hearing? I bet the farm that the majority of them are in "negative-talk mode." They are blaming their parents, their children, the government, the boss, co-workers or neighbors for all their problems. Do you find yourself in that "talk-mode" too?
How about when you see something you would like to have but your financial situation isn't where you'd like it to be in order to have it? Do you repeatedly say, "I can't afford it?" Or do you say "I choose not to purchase it at this time?" Or better yet, "I intend to have it?"
A lot of people ask me if I have my own plane. I used to say, "I can't afford it." While the amount of money in the bank at that time might have actually reflected that, the more I said it, the more it stayed that way because it was part of my belief system.
Instead, I now say, "I intend to have my own plane for speaking engagements." The more I say that, the more I believe it. The more I believe it, the more I train my subconscious to look for ways to make that dream a reality. It is this kind of thinking that helped me become the world's first deaf instrument rated pilot and an award-winning Wall Street stockbroker, to name a few. You see, because I've trained myself to think outside the box and keep negative thoughts at bay, I've achieved my dreams. So can you.
Now, like I said, I am continually a work in progress. Even though I've accomplished the amazing with my life, I still have to work on my thoughts. New things surface, occasionally causing me to slide back if I get sloppy.
Let's talk about money. Who doesn't want more of it? Well, why don't some of them have it? The answer is because on a subconscious level, they don't feel they deserve it!
WHAT??, you say? Okay, settle down - watch this.
Stay with me on this. Come grocery shopping with me.
Let's go to the cereal section. There I am, comparing a generic versus brand name cereal. As I'm looking at them, I know that this particular brand A is better for me (i.e. less calories or more fiber, etc) yet if I'm not watching my thoughts, I'll convince myself to put the generic box in the shopping cart because I'll think I'm saving a few extra bucks. Some of you might say, "Well, Stephen, isn't that the right thing? After all, it adds up, doesn't it?"
Not really. I know better. Why didn't I get the better cereal for myself? After all, it's better for my health. What gives? On a deep level, I'm thinking "I better save up money for a rainy day. I might not have enough money down the road to afford nice things so I better play 'smart' and get the cheaper brand."
Can you see how subtle this line of thinking can be? It's a reflection of my fears of the future. Amazing, isn't it? The next time you go shopping for food, watch how you feel when deciding on what to buy. Do you tend to choose one product over the other because you are subconsciously saying to yourself, "I can't afford it?", "I don't deserve it?" Or perhaps you're convincing yourself that you're saving money for a rainy day?
Your choices are based on what feel you deserve or what you think the future will hold for you. This line of thinking will spill over to every area of your life - your relationships, business, job, friends, boss - your EVERYTHING.
Taking responsibility for how we think is the first step in empowering ourselves and undo years of wrong thinking. We may not be able to control outside circumstances, but the more we replace fear-based thoughts with empowering ones, the better we are able to magnetize what we desire in easy and effortless ways.
Here are some examples of how I've changed my thoughts over the years:
1. Money does not grow on trees.
Replace with: The universe provides unlimited abundance for those who believe they deserve it. (I now tithe up to 10 percent of my income which helps me stretch my wealth consciousness - what you give away freely and clearly, you get back in more ways than one).
2. I don't deserve it.
Replace with: I intend to spend 10 percent of my income on something I would not normally buy myself.
3. I expect to have an argument with so and so.
Replace with: I see a successful outcome, coming up with a resolution that will work for both of us.
4. If it isn't one thing, it's another....
Replace with: Everything happens for a reason, I will learn something valuable from this and move on.
5. My mailbox is full of nothing but bills.
Replace with: I am grateful to be able to pay my bills easily and effortlessly. I am being provided with what I need and I gladly pay for them. (Watch how your body feels when you're writing out checks - does it feel uptight?).
6. I made a huge mistake.
Replace with: There's no such thing as mistakes, only experiences.
7. I better not charge too much for my services.
Replace with: I intend to charge what feels right and let things come my way naturally. (One lesson I've learned is when a potential customer asks me what I charge, I look at him in the eyes and flat out state my fee and then I shut up. Be okay with the silence, let them respond. People often sell themselves short by being uncomfortable with the silence and blurting out too soon, "But I'm willing to cut it down to X dollars.").
8. The economy isn't doing well, therefore, I shouldn't go ahead with this idea.
Replace with: I refuse to let outer circumstances stop me from going forward with this idea. The universe will supply me with what I need to bring this into reality. (and it does!)
9. I hate my job/my boss.
Replace with: I intend to reinvent myself and find ways to help others at the office. I intend to do more than I'm called to do. My focus will be on things I like about this job/my boss. (Or else if it's meant to be, I will be presented with another job opportunity easily and effortlessly!!).
10. This is too good to be true - it won't last forever.
Replace with: Nothing is too good to last forever. (You're probably thinking well, what about the ebbs and flows that seems to be a natural part of life? My response is, regardless of what happens on the outside, you can adjust to changing conditions and still lead a stress-free, joyful life.)
Food for thought: We have this amazing power to choose our thoughts. Many of the problems in life are man-made. We can use the power of our imagination to create results for ourselves regardless of what the economy is doing, who is President or what kind of upbringing we had. You can choose to smile, see everyone as a child of God or you can be bitter because you someone did not treat you right. You can choose to dress elegantly or look like a total slob. The choice is yours and yours alone.
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