CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS

“There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.”

—Shakespeare, English poet, playwright and actor.

You have the ability to control and influence your thoughts. This is a power you can cultivate and develop. Your mind is your sword. Learn to use and control it. Learn to master it through lifelong learning, mindfulness, meditation, practice and repetition. If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, pause to recognize and acknowledge your thoughts for what they are: transitory packets of sensory information that may or may not represent “truths” or “facts.”

Simply pausing to reflect upon and examine your thoughts shifts the brain’s processing of them from the amygdala (the emotional and reactive portion) to the prefrontal cortex (the region responsible for conscious and deliberate thought), allowing you to see your thoughts more clearly, less emotionally and more objectively.

Train your brain to think positive thoughts.

You do this by making a conscious effort to think about positive things. You do it by looking at positive images and by remembering positive events. You do it through self-talk and through positive affirmations: “I can do this.” The more you do this, the greater and more lasting the impact. Embracing gratitude as a core value and repeatedly engaging in positive affirmation can actually rewire your brain and allow you to live a more positive and self-affirming life. Make these positive thought processes a daily habit, a way of life.

The quality of your life depends on
the quality of your thoughts.

To control your destiny, you must first control your thoughts. Remember, your sword (your mind) is your weapon. It is the only weapon that you will always have with you and, if sharpened properly, the only weapon that you will ever need.