3 Steps to Re-Inventing Yourself
This #MindsetMonday let’s talk about 3 steps to reinventing-yourself the personal development way. These are three of the basic steps to mastering your goals on the journey your your own personal re-invention.
Start with a healthy positive thought (mindset): Reinvention starts with a thought.
I know a lot is said about how thoughts have the power to manifest the things we experience or have in life, like the house we live in or the car we drive, or the relationship we enjoy (or don’t enjoy). However, I have to challenge this philosophy because that simply is not the whole story. I can agree that if you have a habit of thinking neagtively, you may, in fact, have a negative experince. It is also the case that a positive thinker may experince a more positive experience. However, is that the end of the story?
The reality is that it takes a lot more than thought to create reality! More to the point, it’s not the positive thoughts that create reality, it’s that positive thoughts can influence emotion and therefore can change the way we behave (our action) which has a direct influence on what we create in life. The way you think can in fact influence the way that you feel and those feelings manefest into the actions we take.
So there is more to the story… let’s talk about that now:
Set your goals and support them with positive emotion: A lot of people spend a lot of time focusing on what they don’t want rather than focusing on what they do want. Many fail to reach a fitness goal, for example, because they approach the goal from the wrong place and with the wrong emotion. Those who fail often approach the goal from the perspective of what they don’t want to experience rather than from the viewpoint of conjuring the experience they desire. An example of this is simple: I don’t want to be fat vs. I want to be healthy and fit.
To understand this you have to understand how the brain reacts to negative emotion. So, I am going to tell you a quick story: Imagine that you are in a dark alley in a less than safe neighborhood and you hear footsteps approaching at a rapid pace. When something like this happens your brain conjures a negative emotion… in this case, fear. Without giving it much thought your mind and body react. And what do you instinctually do… you run, right?
What happens when the brain is triggered with the emotion of fear? The easiest way to describe it is to say that negative emotions narrow your perspective, your focus and your thoughts. It closes off reasoning and simply reacts to stimuli. Though this may seem appropriate in some cases, the reality is to re-invent ourself we must be in control of our emotions. A negative mindset get wrapped up in emotion as though that itself is action. When in reality negative emotion, is like rocking in a rocking chair… it gives you something to do, but you aren’t getting anywhere.
When you are making changes it is important to your success that they are backed with positive emotion. Positive emotion creates a different response in the brain which can include: Broadening of awareness, increased attention on intention, increased memory, and even feelings of empowerment. Having a foundation of empowerment creates action in the right direction.
The brain reacts differently to positive emotion by seeing solutions that are well formed and considered. In other words when you are a positive thinker you see life as endless possibilities. You take a responsive approach to life rather than a reactive one! You see yourself as in control and capable of making positive changes and do just that! You use emotion to create motion (action and change).
Which brings us to the next point:
Emotion or InMotion: Emotion or In-Motion, the choice is yours. I talk a lot about taking action, because without action nothing actually happens. You can imagine, dream, visualize and set goals all that you want, however in reality, it isn’t until you take action that you begin to re-invent yourself.
Action is proof of belief. What you are believing you will be living.
It is necessary to be prepared to take some action. This is a key point that many personal development gurus leave out! The action that you need to take will be enjoyable and feel right to you because you have already established positive thinking backed by positive emotion.
Your desires, goals and ability to re-invent yourself or to transform will always come from some form of action.
So remember, your thoughts have the power to change your life and circumstance. When your thoughts are backed by positive emotion they become an unstoppable force that will result in actions toward your future self. Now, go re-invent yourself!
My name is Len Benoit and I’m the owner/trainer at Fit 1 in Etobicoke. For a full guide on the Mindset of Change you can drop me an email at Len@fit1bootcamp.com. If you are in the Mississauga, Etobicoke or Toronto and want more information about my Bootcamp, Clubbell Yoga, or Personal Training classes, give me a call at 647-776-7776 or visit the website at www.fit1bootcamp.com. Come in for a FREE 7-Day Trial membership and find out if FIT is right for you!
