Hello readers,
A few days ago I wrote a rather downbeat post enquiring about the health of kiteboarding as a sport. Though there is no smoke without fire, I wanted to gauge the response to writing a more controversial post than I usually do. And? Well, a 40% increase in traffic, 3 Re-Tweets, 15 comments, and 4 ping-backs later, it is clear that posts with something for people to get their teeth into are more engaging than good-news story telling.
Up the beach, home. With Smiler, Long Hair and Bald ‘ead (me)
BUT! This has always been a positive blog and lots of people have been clicking on my fitness and life boosting tips, so we’re bringing it right back to where it ought to be with this very simple mental exercise that I want you all to try, it will take about ten minutes…
1. Write down three strong negative beliefs you have about yourself, such as:
- I am crap with money
- I get very nervous in front of groups of people
- I am hopelessly disorganised
Now, think of all the evidence / reasons you have to support these beliefs and write them down under each one. This can be actual incidents, or things people have said to you for example:
I get very nervous in front of groups of people because:
- I avoid public speaking at all costs
- I ‘died’ on stage at the school play when I was 11
- My friends always point out that I go red when the attention is on me
2. Now, we’re going to turn that frown upside down! It’s time to choose to believe something different about ourselves. Take each negative statement and turn it into a bright, shiny ‘I am’ positive, like this:
- I am an excellent money manager
- I am wonderfully confident and charismatic around others
- I am brilliant at organising things
When we get the negative blinkers on, we miss all the things that doesn’t fit our views. When we take them off, we can start to see the evidence that shows our negative beliefs aren’t entirely true. So list the truths that supports your positive statements now, like this:
- I’ve always got enough money to do the sports I love
- My friends tell me how much they enjoy my funny stories when we’re down the pub
- My family and friends love the fact that I remember all their birthdays and special occasions
You can apply this strategy to any areas of your life, as often as you need. So how do you feel now you’ve completed this little exercise? Let me know in the comments below!
