We’ve all heard it said that, The key to changing your life is to develop and maintain a successful mindset, a positive ‘Can Do’ attitude!
Yawn…
Whatever, right?
Why is it then, that even though you’ve heard this a million times or more, you still SUCK at changing your life?
More often than not, it’s because we still associate with the same like-minded people.
The old adage…
“You can’t soar with the eagles if you hang around turkeys.” Click to Tweet This
still holds true today just as it did the first time I heard it many, many years ago.
Listen, back in the 70′s I was going nowhere. Always hanging around my going nowhere friends, hanging out in going nowhere places and drinking going nowhere beverages.
Then one day, a day just like any other day, I took a look around me and realized, “Hey… you ain’t making no progress in life son. When you going to get off your ass and start doing something with yourself?”
I’d like to say that the very next day my life suddenly changed for the better. Like I said, “I’d like to say” that, but it didn’t. Why? Because it’s hard as hell to break away from old habits and old friends that aren’t willing to make the same changes as you.
Let’s face it… CHANGE HURTS!
That’s why so many of us have a tough time changing, I know I did and still do at times. However, there’s a couple of things I learned over the years that have helped me to make good changes in my life. Perhaps they’ll help you make the changes in life you’d like to make as well…
5 Simple Steps for Changing Your Life
I’ve heard it said that the first step is always the most important, or the hardest. This statement holds true for the very first step here…
You absolutely, positively and unequivocally must… Surround yourself with good people and good things will begin to happen!
Carve this stone, burn it into a piece of wood and nail it to the ceiling over your bed if you have to. Whatever it is you have to do to get this down in your heart and ingrained into your spirit, do it!
Listen, I know this can be tough. But it’s supposed to be tough!
“If change wasn’t tough, than just anyone could do it! Click to Tweet This
Listen, when I was hanging around all my going nowhere friends, where do you think I was going? NOWHERE, that’s where! The opposite of this holds true as well…
When I started surrounding myself with good people; people who had a dream, who thought differently, who spoke differently and who believed differently than I did… Good things started to happen!
This will work for you when you do the same…
The next step is a little “new-agey” or “woohoo” to some folks, but hang in here with me…
You need to create for yourself what’s called a “positive affirmation”, or what I like to call a “redundant statement of faith”. In other words, a short statement that you can repeat to yourself (either aloud or just to yourself silently) that reaffirms your right standing with the world around you.
For instance. When I am faced with a challenge, or even before I am faced with a challenge (which is also a ‘good habit’ to start) I say a verse from the The Bible to myself, which states:
“I can do ALL thing through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13 Click to Tweet This
Repeating affirmations of faith in yourself, the higher power, etc. has been shown to get people through difficult times. And like I said previously, if you will repeat these affirmations to yourself before you “need” them, then it’s as if your spiritual batteries were already charged and ready to go!
The next step (I keep calling these “steps”, they could just as easily be called ‘processes’ or simply habits) is to bring negative, self-defeating thoughts into obedience.
In other words: cast down, rebuke and take captive any thought that comes to mind that does not support you and a healthy thought life. That’s some strong language, I know. Easier said than done, I know this too!
However, negative thoughts and emotions prevent us from achieving all we desire and deserve. This takes time, persistence and patience. So, don’t go beating yourself up each time you “OMG… I had a negative thought! OMG…What am I going to do, now?” Relax and understand that you are “retraining” your brain, literally, and that’s it’s okay. It’s just not okay to quit trying that is all 
Forgiveness, in my opinion, is still THE most powerful weapon we have to overcome any thought and any thing that happens, or has happened, to us…
Another habit worth developing involves your intentions. Intentions are those things that you say to yourself way down deep in what my Grandma always referred to as, your “Knower”.
Your “knower” is the part of you that is spirit. “Uh oh, James done flipped out and is talking about ‘spirits’…”
Stop. Can I ask you an honest question here? Seriously…
Have you ever just “felt” something about someone you just met, good or bad, but you just don’t know why? Or perhaps you went someplace, or in someone’s home or business perhaps, and something just didn’t “feel” right to you?
I know I have. If you have too, what part of you do you think is causing those feelings?
That is your spirit causing you to feel that way…
Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let’s bring this into the discussion about your intentions!
I liken your spirit to that part of you when, “you know, that you know, that you know…” something is going to happen simply because deep down inside you have RESOLVED it within yourself that “it” is going to come to pass. No matter what!
Now am I making sense? Okay, great!
This is what I mean by your intentions. It’s like the old “Set It and Forget It!” commercial
Faith is another powerful weapon you have to defeat negative thinking and start creating a successful and powerful mindset!
And lastly, have an attitude of gratitude. Being grateful, even no matter how things may appear at the time, are the seeds from which all blessings flow.
When you are sincerely grateful for every wonderful thing and person you now have in your life, the challenges you face in life become less significant and more easily dealt with.
Gratitude, like all the aforementioned items, takes practice. You may even consider keeping a journal (many successful people do) and begin writing your thoughts and key events down. Such as:
- How you handled a problem
- How you may have handled it differently
- Something valuable you learned that day, or
- A success you had that day
Furthermore, an attitude of gratitude helps you maintain focus on what’s really important to you in life. This in turn allows you to look at challenges as opportunities instead of obstacles.
The ability to change your life is in your hands. With an attitude of gratitude, a heart full of faith and forgiveness; as well as positive affirmations and associating with like-minded people, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Embrace these success habits, make them your own, and you’ll live a much happier, healthier and fuller life!
