Are You a Prisoner of Your Own Self-Limiting Thoughts?

Our thoughts dictate, to a large degree, our successes in life. Even feelings such as confidence begin with a thought.

Thoughts trigger action. I wish I had a dollar (inflation), for the number of times one of my own thoughts took me from a nice, comfortable position to one of immediate action. This usually occurs when I decide to lay down and rest for a minute. Just about the time my body totally relaxes, my mind will decide to get creative and give me a "good idea". Because I fear I will lose this quick bit of genius, I take immediate action, get up and "just do it".

Acting upon our thoughts immediately, instead of placing them aside for later, gives us security. Now, of course, this is not always an option. However, writing the thought or idea down is a good thing to do, otherwise you risk the possibility of losing that idea forever.

I have even been known to pull off the freeway when driving, to be able to quickly note a thought that I don't want to forget. Even the great composer, Ludwig Van Beethoven, was famous for always taking a notepad and pen with him when walking through the woods. He never wanted to risk losing a musical thought or theme. Not taking action on our thoughts is one way we limit our thinking. We seldom look at it this way, but it's true all the same.

Negative thoughts are the biggest culprits for limiting our thinking. Most of us realize this and yet it has become a habit and a"comfortable" part of our thinking. Negative thinking can be so ingrained that we don't even realize we are negative. It's kind of like living so long with pain that we become immune to the pain until it is gone. Then, we realize how much pain we have been in.

So, how do we begin to make a change in our thought process?

I love the word, empowerment. It suggests a positive, can-do feeling within me. We can empower ourselves and it begins with self talk. I like to call it my "inner-dialogue". Bits and pieces of this self talk or inner-dialogue can be negative, self limiting and even at times, destructive. We witness the actions of negative thinking every single day through the media as well as other sources.

Negative thinking imprisons us. It leaves us feeling helpless and at times, a victim. It can cause us to take the wrong "fork in the road" and we get lost on our journey through life. Negative thoughts are limiting thoughts which are mostly based on fear and become habit-forming. But the good news is. . .habits can be broken and replaced with positive, progressive and empowering ones. It all begins with re-wording your self talk and replacing negative, self limiting thoughts with good, positive ones.

Each of us is the master of our own mind. We choose our thoughts whether they are good, bad or indifferent. I make this point very clear to my vocal students with pitch problems. Reminding them that "whatever they think of, pitch-wise, they will sing". When the singer is trained, repeatedly and consistently, to "listen" to a tone and sing it, the repetition "seals" the memory of the tone into the mind. The vocalist then owns that tone forever.

And this also works wonders for bringing about change in our thinking. We no longer have to be a prisoner of our own negative and self-limiting thoughts. It is our thought that gets us to the last few feet of the finish line. It is a simple thought which gives us the strenght to resist temptation.

We respond to our thoughts constantly. Stop dumping garbage into your brain. Be selective and be powerful. You, alone are responsible for feeding your brain a diet of nutritious, inspiring and motivating thinking.

The petty struggles of daily life will simply not have the same significance they once had. The winds of opportunity will emerge as you change your way of thinking.

Thomas Edison said, "If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves". Isn't this great? I don't know about you, but I want to astonish myself. How do we begin? Where do we start?

First, we must look beyond what is and see what could be. Are you living up to your real potential? I can guarantee that you aren't, if you don't even believe in your potential. I read something once that really struck me, written by Charles Schulz, (Charlie Brown). "Life is a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use."

Believing in yourself, in you, is the foundation on which success is built. You absolutely do not need anyone's "stamp of approval". You are all that you need. You are able, powerful, talented, wise, confident and determined. You must remind yourself daily, lest you forget for even one second. And if you still do not believe in yourself, then remind yourself 3 times a day, 10 times a day, however many times it takes. You must believe in you.

"Limited thinking brings limited results." ~ Audrey Kerr Hunt

Commit to something other than yourself and greater than yourself, for this is the true mark of virtue and an infinite source of personal fulfillment.

A favorite quote of mine is by Author, John C. Maxwell ~ "You will become on the outside, what you believe on the inside."

Believe in yourself, the way I believe in you...(The Wiz)

Sources -

John C. Maxwell

Charles Schultz

The Wiz

copyright - Library of Congress - Any part of this article cannot be used without the permission of author, Audrey Hunt.