I recently read a good Lincoln quote: "The best way to predict the future is to create it." I like that. It goes along with what I’ve learned over the past two years regarding how to change your habits.
I believe that “first you form your habits, and then your habits form you.” For example, my eating habits, formed in my youth, helped form my middle aged girth. Oops! Who knew?
What’s a person to do? Lincoln knew: Create a new future!
But how? Here’s what I’ve been doing with great success:
I’ve developed a positive self-image via affirmations.
Self-improvement begins with how you see yourself: now and in the future.
An improved self-image starts with a new goal. But how do you find the right goals?
Use your head and heart to find out what would make you feel good about yourself. That’s what you “need” to learn. That’s a worthwhile goal!
That new worthwhile goal then needs to be re-written as an affirmation. (An affirmation is a goal written with positive words (no nots), with strong feeling words, with a personal pronoun (I), and with present tense verbs.)
Once the affirmation is written, I rehearse the new affirmation by repetition and visualization (image making or directed daydreaming).
I was already was good at visualization and repetition… it’s called worry! Mental rehearsal is simply pre-living a dream (visualization) instead of pre-living a nightmare (worry).
Because I am in charge of my habits.
I set goals, create affirmations, and use them.
I consistently review my affirmations and goals.
I spend time visualizing (image making) my good habits.
And that which was difficult (improvement) becomes easy! My habits are reformed in keeping with my new self-image, and my new and improved habits reform me! Go figure.
Too simple? Too bad.
The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination.
ReplyDeleteI read this the other day and found it quite true. It seems to go along with your line of thinking...Gloria
I smell what you're steppin' in here. It's so true. Sometimes it's easier to be harder on ourselves than it is to be encouraging... but negativity doesn't usually get anyone very far. I like this. I like it a lot. I especially like the visualization, mantra-like element.
ReplyDeleteThank you, as usual. :)
Good luck with your end of semester stuff. It can be oh so crazy! :)
Man, you are one affirmative guy. And I noticed you've been repeating some mantras lately, but not saying that they're from other posts....tricky, tricky...
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess since you gave us the blueprint, I'm gonna make it a goal to create one affirmation. This year. Yup. It just might take that long. I'm not the most affirmative person, if you've noticed. ;)
Yoda says, "Do or don't do: there is no try."
ReplyDeleteI believe that the future is only what the present allows. Nice post. Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Dani: You're welcome.
ReplyDelete