How to Expect the Best

Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck in negative thought patterns and expecting the worst possible outcome in every situation?  It’s a common mind-set that proves difficult to change when you finally decide you’ve had enough.  Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to breed and multiply on their own – even when you’re not consciously trying to think negatively.
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The good news is that turning a negative thought pattern into a positive one just takes a bit of patience and persistence until the positive thoughts begin to take over.
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Below you’ll find three simple steps to begin forming positive expectations on a daily basis:
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1) Develop self-awareness to recognize negative expectations.  One problem with negative thoughts is that they often form below your conscious level of awareness, and you get so used to them being in your head that you hardly notice anymore.  To turn the tide of negativity, you’ll have to develop a stronger level of self-awareness.  One good way to start is by performing self-checks several times a day.  Pay attention first to how you feel.  If you’re feeling positive and productive, most likely you’ve been thinking positive thoughts.
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However, if you notice that you’re feeling irritable, pessimistic or stressed, you’re probably focusing more on negative thoughts.  When that happens:
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2) Challenge and change the negative thoughts.  Believe it or not, it’s fairly easy to challenge and change negative thoughts with a little focus.  For example, if you find yourself feeling doubtful about your ability to finish your work on time, you might engage in a bit of self-talk like this:  “Okay, so I’m a bit worried right now, but really everything is okay.  I’m strong, I’m smart and I am definitely capable of finishing on time. I just need to focus, do my best, and everything will work out fine.”  Even though your circumstances have not changed, your attitude certainly has. this type of self-talk can get you thinking and feeling more positive.
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3) At the same time, while you’re changing negative thoughts to positive, work
daily on developing a general positive expectation habit.  Each day when you wake up, affirm confidently, “Today is going to be a great day!  Everything will go my way because I feel fantastic.”
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When you encounter obstacles or problems, see them as opportunities to learn, grow and strengthen yourself.  Perception is 99% of the game!  If you simply work on shifting the way you look at the experiences of your life, you can easily conquer your negative thought habits.
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Tagged as: Attitude, Positive Thinking, self-talk