The Power of Thought: How to Transform Your Life

Because the way you think matters...

We've all heard stories about people who have turned their lives around after facing struggles like addiction, depression, bankruptcy, or loss. But how do these transformations happen?

It all begins when the desire to change outweighs the desire to stay the same. In simple terms, you begin to believe there’s a better way to live. You stop settling for where you are and start envisioning where you want to be.

The Power of Your Thoughts

On average, we have 6,000 thoughts each day (according to a 2020 study).

If I asked you to list them, could you? I know I wouldn't be able to recall even half of mine.

Many of these thoughts are automatic. They’ve become habits—some good, some bad. Just like habits, our thoughts can go unchecked, and when we let the negative ones take over, we start feeling low and search for ways to lift our mood. This often leads us to seek out dopamine.

Sugary foods, gambling, alcohol, and drugs can all provide a quick boost of dopamine. But this high is short-lived. When the effects wear off, we often feel worse than before.

Changing Habits Begins with Awareness

To change any habit, we must first recognize that it’s a habit. And at the root of it all are those 6,000 daily thoughts—many of which go unnoticed.

So, how can we keep track of what we're thinking? More importantly, how do we change those automatic thoughts?

The answer is simple: we listen without noise.

This practice has many names: meditation, mindfulness, and I like to call it Thought Gazing. It’s about noticing your thoughts as they come and go without getting caught up in them. Just notice, without judgment.

The Influence of Negativity Bias

As humans, we have something called Negativity Bias. It means we’re naturally drawn to negative things—disasters, disease, danger. These threats are prevalent in the news and on social media.

Negativity Bias is an evolutionary trait that helped our ancestors stay vigilant and avoid danger. But in today’s world, it can work against us. Many of the dangers we focus on aren’t happening in the present moment, but our brains don’t know that. As a result, we can experience anxiety, stress, and depression.

Shifting Your Thoughts

The good news is, you have the power to change your thoughts. If a thought isn’t serving you, you can replace it with something more positive. For example:

• “I’m so disorganized” becomes “I can get organized.”

• “I’m terrible with money” becomes “I can learn to budget better.”

• “I hate cooking” becomes “I can cook, but it’s not my favorite thing to do.”

• “I can’t stop smoking” becomes “I can ask for help to quit smoking.”

There are always alternative ways of thinking. And the best part? Turning around your thoughts is free. It may take practice, but the emotional and physical rewards are priceless.

You Are One in 400 Trillion

Do you know the odds of being born? You had a 1 in 400 trillion chance of coming into existence. Your parents meeting? That had a 1 in 20,000 chance. Think about that: you are here because your parents thought they were attracted to each other, and the rest followed.

Thoughts = Feelings = Actions = Results.

You have the power to control your thoughts. When you choose to turn negative, unhelpful thoughts into positive, empowering ones, you take charge of your life.

It all starts with you, and it all starts with your thoughts. Control them, and you’ll gain better control of your life.

Until next time, Think Better!

Shelly 💖