Change your Thinking, Change Your Life

By Amy Sherman

Do you understand the power of your mind? Have you wondered why your thoughts about an event are even more important than the event itself? This is crucial because everything you are and everything you have is a result of your thoughts.

Think about this. If you have a car accident, for example, do you anticipate having back and neck problems and get so anxious that you actually have cramps and diarrhea also?

Cognitive-behavioral therapists are trained to help you understand that your thoughts are affecting your moods, behaviors and ultimately your physical body and that you can change your experience by doing some simple, proven techniques.

1. Track your symptoms

Do you get the runs every time holiday season comes around? If you track the triggers that may cause the symptoms, you will find alternative behaviors that can actually control them.

2. Pay attention to your thoughts and differentiate between what is actually happening and what is perceived. This can be tricky since what you believe creates an outcome. So, if you think you won't enjoy the party, your nonverbal behavior may actually make you unapproachable and therefore, cause you to be alone and miserable. Therefore, change your thoughts in a way that will change your life to make you feel more confident and secure.

3. Become solution-oriented

It doesn't pay to worry about things you cannot change or lay blame as the main cause for your problems. Rather take as much control over the situation as possible instead of ignoring aspects you can control.

4. Look at tough situations in your life as inconveniences instead of catastrophes, which will soften the approach you take and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Theoretically, the more you allow negative messages to influence your life, the more it impacts your situations and how you feel about them. If you are ready to improve the quality of your life, now is the time to do it. The secret to make this happen is to understand that what you experience on the "outside", is merely a reflection of what thoughts you experience on the inside. Therefore, every thought has the power to shatter or transform you and the greatest gift you have is to choose which possibility you want to manifest.

About the author: Amy Sherman, LMHC is the author of Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer's Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life.

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