23 Nov A few thoughts to stop thinking
More often than not, I talk and write about what you CAN DO to foster and develop more happiness in your life.
But occasionally, I remember to remind readers and listeners that it’s also important to consider what you should NOT DO unless you want to UNDO your happiness and wellbeing.
There’s no doubt certain thoughts and behaviours will enhance positive emotions like happiness; but there’s also no doubt that certain thoughts and behaviours will detract from, undermine, and even destroy any happiness and wellbeing you might be wanting to experience.
I was reminded of this recently when I stumbled upon this article … “The 3 most disempowering mindsets people get stuck in”!
You can read it in full HERE but in short, the author (Will Curtis) writes about (1) fixed mindsets, (2) mindsets focused on an inability to change, and (3) mindsets unhelpfully focused on the past.
I’ve been guilty of each of these, but I’ve also engaged in many other, unhelpful and unhealthy ways of thinking that at the risk of oversimplifying, just don’t serve me in any positive way!
These include, but are not limited to (!) … (1) focusing and worrying excessively on things that haven’t happened yet, (2) questioning whether I “deserve” happiness or whether I”m “worthy” of success, (3) discounting any and all achievements and (4) writing off every good thing about a person (including myself) because of one, or a small number of bad things.
I could go on but the purpose of this post isn’t to publish a complete list of unhelpful thoughts. It’s aim is, instead, much more simple. And that is to remind you that focusing on practicing a helpful attitude is very important but so too is focusing on eliminating or reducing an unhelpful attitude. Whether your unhelpful thoughts are the same as mine or not isn’t really relevant. What’s important is that you try to be more MINDFUL of your thinking and try to question, as often as you can, whether or not it’s HELPFUL!
Good luck with all that : )