Managing Thoughts

Have you ever thought about the fact that there is never a moment when you are not thinking and that whatever you are not thinking and that whatever happens in this world begins with a thought? Here are some simple steps to help you manage your thoughts and achieve success and happiness in life.

1. BE AWARE OF YOUR THOUGHTS:
Start watching your thoughts, without identifying them. At the outset thoughts are like the waves of the ocean, which do not stop even for a moment like the watch ticking, it's way. Do not be discouraged by the fact that you are becoming a part of your thoughts. Just watch your thoughts as an observer. You may even get carried away by your thoughts. Never mind. What you need to do whenever you detect this, is to take yourself out of your thoughts immediately and get back as a detached observer. Just watch after some time you will be able to know your negative thoughts. Now concentrate on all the positive thoughts that you can replace these thoughts in order to switch over to a more positive attitude towards them. Unnecessary thoughts should be cut to improve the quality of necessary ones.

2. IDENTIFY YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS:
Keep a log book of your thoughts. Write down the happenings of the day. The log book should record both verbal and mental response. Were your thoughts positive, appropriate and adequate or were they confused, superfluous and negative? Sometimes we ask others or simply to ourselves, or think about something just like that. Ask yourself what provoked you to make the initiative to start a conversation? Was it essential? What was the purpose? Did it serve the purpose? If no, then why not? Were the words used in thinking appealing to the other person, appropriate, adequate and positive? Did you feel happy or satisfied after the interaction with the other person or with your inner self? Can you find ways of improving your performance as a thinker or a speaker? Keep in mind that log books are meant to get you started and make you aware of your negative thoughts. It is very important to be aware of these thoughts when they are just taking birth, rather than leave them for later analysis.

3. REPLACE WITH POSITIVE THOUGHTS:
This is an important and vital step, for, it is here that the actual switch-over to the desired state takes place. The removal of your negative thoughts should be followed by the replacement of positive ones. Our success and happiness depends on identifying our goals precisely and chasing them effectively - both of which, in turn, depend on how well we manage our thoughts. The quality of our thoughts decide the quality of the outcomes we land up with. Thoughts have the power to materialise themselves because they are instrumental in channeling energy towards the physical or mental condition they are about. External situations and the remarks of others can harm us through our thoughts - but only to the extent our thoughts allow them to. So think positive.

Some Tips:
Talk positive quotable quotes of great people. Surround yourself with posters and cards bearing positive messages. Keep them on your table. Hang them on the walls. Paste them near the bathroom mirror and on the doors. Stick them on your watch strap. Keep them on the refrigerator. Have them on the dash board of the car. Slip them under the glass on the table in front of you. Slide them in the inner side of the briefcase you carry. Find other suitable places where you are bound to look at them every day. Remember that these messages will stale with prolonged use. So keep changing their position and contents. Do not let the momentum of these thoughts get weaker. Use them appropriately in response to specific negative thoughts. The replacing thought must be positive in every sense. Apart from being inspiring and assuring, it should also be suggestive. For example, if you confront a negative thought, "I can never succeed", it will not suffice if you replace it with "Attack! I can succeed". This kind of replacement may not be effective, for it sounds like wishful thinking and lacks assurance, depth and penetration. It is better to
break your replacing thought down into more definite and specific steps or instructions.

The replacing thought in this case may be "I can succeed. By earlier failures I have become rich in experience and have come to know specific areas that require special attention. I will jot them down and systematically think of the ways in which I can improve. I shall plan and then stick to it. There is absolutely no reason why I should not succeed. I will assess, plan, execute, monitor, modify and carry on with the plan, and finally succeed.

Infact, that success has already been achieved and only time separates my thoughts of success and its transformation into reality. I am committing myself to all that is required to achieve success. I am a river that knows no obstacles. I shall find my way any how - and if there is none I shall make one". Thoughts like these can be further reinforced with emotions and images.

All this may take longer than one single replacing thought, but these are far more effective since they allow you to divide the desired target into workable units

FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE LOST SO THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE WHAT STILL REMAINS