Negativity: The Silent Killer
Ali Sharifi
This sucks! I hate reading. Why do I have to think positively? What's the point? We talk to ourselves constantly throughout the day and that never-ending dialogue has a dramatic affect on our lives. You may not notice how often you put yourself down or think negatively during the span of just a few minutes. Whether it's thinking you're not good enough to do a certain thing, or feeling down about messing something up, you create your reality with each thought.
Some research has shown that there is a correlation between thoughts and manifestation in the body. For example, by thinking about a juicy lemon and imagining yourself biting into one, you may begin to have the physical response of salivation. This also holds true for thoughts about yourself and the situations you are faced with. For instance, if you are trying to run a mile in 7 minutes and constantly tell yourself you can't do it, chances are very good that you'll never be able to do it. In contrast, by telling yourself over and over again that you can do it and visualizing yourself completing the mile in 7 minutes, your potential for success is much greater.
Let's examine just how much negativity we carry with us throughout the day. I'd like you to try a little experiment over the next few days. Keep a notepad with you or a tape recorder and try to record every negative thought you have throughout the day. These can be as simple as comments like the following:
I'm so stupid. I can't believe I messed that up.
What's wrong with me?
I'm so clumsy.
I'm not ready for this test.
I can't.
I'm not smart enough to do this.
I worry too much.
I'll never get that job.
I'm so depressed.
I never know what to say.
These are just a few of the thousands of negative thoughts we have throughout the day. You may be surprised at just how many thoughts you really have that aren't "good for you". Now that you know you have them, let's talk about what you can do to get rid of them. The first step with all "programs" for change is becoming aware of the problem. Knowing you are having a negative thought is the most important part of getting rid of it. Most of us go about our day not even realizing that so many of our thoughts are negative. We are trained from birth to feel insecure and have doubts about our strengths and abilities. These are reaffirmed by our friends, family and other outside influences.
In order to take charge of these thoughts, you must become aware of each thought as it occurs. As soon as you recognize that the thought is negative, turn the thought around and make it positive. For example, if you're trying to figure out a math problem and you think to yourself, "I'm not smart enough to do this," turn that around and say to yourself, "I can solve this math problem." At first, you'll have to constantly remind yourself about this and will have to keep consciously changing your thoughts into positive ones, but over time, this will become natural and your first thought will be the positive one. Depending on how deeply ingrained these negative thoughts are, it may take months of reprogramming to feel the results, so hang in there.
Also realize I'm not saying that just by having one positive thought, you'll suddenly solve that math problem, or make your life perfect over night. What I am saying is that as you begin to change each of your negative thoughts, you'll begin to notice a feeling of incredible self-confidence and happiness. As a result, you'll be able to accomplish more then you ever imagined possible. And, you will find an answer to that pesky math problem sooner or later.
Any significant change takes time and energy. To help you to maintain a positive outlook, remember to meditate every day, if possible. Tension and stress play a big role in negative thinking, so regular meditation can help to dramatically improve how you feel about yourself and your surroundings
Ali Sharifi has been teaching meditation and self-hypnosis since 1995 and is the President of The Sage Within, a company dedicated to helping people tap into their inner wisdom through practical exercises and useful information.
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