How to Change Your Mindset [Part VII]

Challenge and reframe negative thought patterns

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash

If you want to make lasting and meaningful change in your life, you must adopt a winning mindset first. There’s no other way around it.

Problem is: Changing your mindset is often much easier said than done.

That’s why I’m dedicating the following series to helping you do exactly that. Each day, I’ll dive into one specific (and highly powerful and effective) way to nurture a mindset that works for you instead of against you.

Yes, my friend — when we’re all done here, you’ll have all the tools you need to take your mindset from “I could never do that” to “Look out world, I can do anything!” faster than you ever thought possible before.

But it’s to you to put in the work and make the change.

So without further ado, let’s dive into Mindset Method #7.

Mindset Method #7: Reframe Negative Thinking

The road to a rock-solid mindset is paved with positive thought patterns and empowering beliefs — both of which are cultivated through conscious effort.

In fact, unless you take the time to analyze, understand, and reframe your negative thinking, you’ll always be driving in the opposite direction — never quite able to effectively manifest your dreams and desires.

Obviously, this is not what you want.

The good news is that reframing your negative thinking and limiting beliefs is actually a lot easier than you’d expect — all it takes is a little practice.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. As negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs surface throughout your day (which they will), take a moment to analyze them. For example, let’s say you see someone playing guitar, which you’ve always wanted to do. And the first thing you say to yourself is “I could never do that.” Okay, there’s the negative thought pattern/limiting belief. Make note of it.
2. The next thing you want to do is reframe that negative thought pattern/limiting belief into a question. In this case, the question would be “Is it true that I could never learn how to play guitar?”
3. Now, with your question top-of-mind, what you want to do next is, you want to start looking for evidence that contradicts the negative thought pattern/limiting belief. Essentially, all you’re doing here is proving the belief wrong — AKA: Sherlocking it straight out of your psyche.
4. Lastly, with evidence to prove your negative thought pattern/limiting belief wrong, it’s now time for the ultimate reframe. And that reframe can be as simple as this: “Someone has learned how to play guitar from scratch before, which means if I work hard at it, I can do it, too.”

And that’s it.

Recognize the negative thought pattern/limiting belief → Ask yourself if it’s even true → Find evidence to prove it wrong → Use that evidence to reframe your thoughts and beliefs into ones that empower you

It’s a simple 4-step process that can change the entire course of your life.

Best part?

As your negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs start to crumble under your scrutiny, you’ll begin to realize that every negative thought pattern and limiting belief you have can be reframed in the exact same way.

And once you come to this realization, a whole new world will open up for you — one in which you leverage your thoughts and beliefs to serve you instead of hold you back or bring you down.

That’s a mindset that will take the distance — and it’s a mindset that you can intentionally and directly cultivate for yourself.

Halt right there!

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