“It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.” —Robert H. Schuller, Televangelist

What internal messages do you hold onto? Are they positive or negative? Do you let them affect how you feel about yourself, go through your day or treat others?

You become what you think. If you think of yourself positively, your brain agrees with you and treats you with respect. If you don’t – guess what?

Your Brain Obeys You

Your brain is very powerful. In fact, it is brilliant. It will take what you say and follow your orders. But, like a computer, you need to program it properly by taking charge of your internal messages and make them support, not negate, you.

You have the opportunity to make the rest of your life awesome. By eliminating negative messages, you are sure to find your way to the best of yourself and your best life.

Why We Accept Negative Thoughts

Why do we negate ourselves? Part of it is rooted in messages we received in childhood from other people – sometimes well-meaning and sometimes just mean.

As children, we didn’t know the difference, so we accepted their evaluations, and we have been reinforcing those thoughts in our brains ever since. That way of thinking has become a habit, which can continue into our older years if we don’t stunt it.

You’re in Control Now

Being positive and having a good attitude is not about sticking our heads in the sand and ignoring the world around us. Instead, it is about how we choose to interact with it all.

When we experience positive thinking, we are not only happier, but also healthier. If you want a longer life span, less stress, a healthier body, better days, and a good attitude, program your mind to accept only good thoughts.

I write about healthy aging and how to live your best life after retirement in my book, Revivement: Having a Life After Making a Living.

How do you see the world? Do you see the good and show gratitude every day? Or do you bemoan your life? Here’s an example:

I trip over a shoe I left in the hallway. Do I say, “How stupid of me to have left it here!” (notice the word stupid)? Or do I say, “Oops, better put it away,” and move on?

A positive example is telling yourself “Good job!” for a project you just completed – whether it’s writing a difficult report at work or cleaning out the attic at home – rather than grumbling the whole time you are working on it.

How to Change Your Mindset

Here are a few simple steps to take to change your mindset and become the positive person you really are:

Be Aware of Your Thoughts

When you think something negative about yourself or anything else in your life, erase and replace it immediately with a positive thought.

Feed Your Brain Positive Thoughts

Start feeding your brain the good things about yourself. After you finish a project say, “I did a good job!” Or, “I’m really creative!”

Beware Negative People

Avoid negative people and media so that you don’t absorb unwanted messages.

Befriend Positive People

Surround yourself with positive people. They’re the ones that appreciate you, and let you see the best of yourself.

Humor Is Everywhere

See the humor in situations rather than turn them into negative chatter.

Focus on Positive Forms of Media

Read positive books; watch positive movies; listen to the lyrics of positive songs. Avoid movies or videos that show negative or hurtful actions.

How do you change your mindset when you are feeling discouraged and negative? What internal messages do you find yourself holding on to in your day to day life? Please join the conversation below!