By emotionally separating ourselves from our own struggles we can gain perspective about our situation and can then make choice from a place of greater clarity.
If you find yourself coming up with excuses and reasons for why you can’t, tap into tap into your inner wisdom and resourcefulness.
Ask yourself what someone who wanted to achieve what you want to achieve would do and act accordingly.
The best way to build confidence is to act even when we are afraid.
With consistent practice, even when we don’t succeed, we learn.
We can then try different strategies to meet our goals.
In time, we grow more competent, and with competence, comes confidence.
We grow confident that we can do what it was that we were afraid of initially. We also become more confident in our ability to try new things.
- Pratibha Anand
One might assume that a person’s mood is what influences their body movements and posture. The reverse is true as well. We can activate more energized, positive, and passionate mood-states simply by changing how we move our bodies. By having our bodies act in the ways we act when we are in a different mood state, our minds follow along for the ride. By changing our physiology, we can change our psychology.
- Pratibha Anand
The words and phrases we use to describe ourselves, others, and the world around us shape our reality. Our minds believe what we continually repeat and reinforce to the point that they actively seek out ways to confirm our beliefs and ignore any evidence to the contrary.
What beliefs do you have about yourself, others, or the world that are holding you back?
What evidence that challenges these beliefs are your ignoring?
In what ways are you reinforcing these beliefs?
- Pratibha Anand
Though we rationally know that our bad habits are going to cause us long-term pain, it can be easy to give into our urges and triggers in the short-term. At the same time, we are also aware that good habits we want to adopt but aren't will give us so much more lasting pleasure than our bad habits ever could.
So why do we stay stuck in our bad habits?
Consider that human beings are primarily motivated by two things: (1) experiencing pleasure; and (2) avoiding pain.
Within this framework, pain motivates us more in the short-term.
This is why avoiding the short-term discomfort of a new, positive seems more motivating to our brains in the moment than does the pleasures of what those good habits will eventually bring us or even the medium-term sense of self-confidence and efficacy that comes with not giving into our urges.
In order to change our behavior, we must pay attention to what we focus on.
In moments when we want to give into an urge, rather than focusing on the discomfort of resisting the urge, we must feel the pain associated with giving into it. Then. we must bring to mind and feel the pleasure associated with a good habit and the sense of success and empowerment we will feel by practicing those habits instead.
- Pratibha Anand
What are you doing to not feel?
No feeling can kill you.
But not feeling can.
Feel to heal.
- Pratibha
In order to start a new habit, we must first plant the seeds.
It is not enough to simply plant the seeds. We need to ensure that they are watered regularly (through practicing the new habit) and that they are in a fertile, safe environment (cultivating positive thoughts and emotions and surrounding ourselves with positive people, places, and influences).
With time, our seeds will sprout roots and the first signs of our progress will surface and become visible.
We must be careful to not grow complacent and back down at this stage.
We must remember that our recover roots at this stage are still fragile.
Sometimes, the more progress we make, the more our old habits desperately want to pull us back.
Keep persevering. Don’t give in or give up in the face of obstacles. Trust that new habits are possible and that they are possibly for you.
- Pratibha Anand
Have patience. Have faith.
Sometimes success is simply a matter of being able to hold on just a little bit longer.
- Pratibha Anand
Even when what you do seems to make no immediate difference, remind yourself that they do matter and that each of positive action you take adds up.
- Pratibha Anand
