Surround Yourself with the Positive

Surround Yourself with the Positive
Picture Yourself in a Positive Light
-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer

If you put yourself in a positive frame of mind, you can accomplish anything. If you can clearly see your goal, see that it’s within your grasp, there’s nothing stopping you. That’s why surrounding yourself with positive images and visual reminders can be just what the doctor ordered.

You may already have an inner voice telling you that you can do it, that you can reach your goal. But sometimes, that inner voice could be distracted, a little discouraged or even intimidated. Sometimes, it lacks conviction. Sometimes, you need an external voice telling you the same thing, reinforcing your confidence and determination.

Think about what might happen without that positive reinforcement. Suppose you had a parrot sitting on your shoulder, cackling in your ear all day long that your efforts are useless, that you will never reach your goal. Or suppose that every day, you were faced with a taunting picture of you looking your god-awful, embarrassing worst. Sounds pretty discouraging, doesn’t it?

Surrounding yourself with negativity will drain the energy, life and hope right out of you like a leech. Seems pretty obvious, but too often, we allow these negative messages to seep through.

Thankfully, the opposite is just as true. One of the quickest ways to boost your spirits and keep motivation high is to keep a positive picture of your goal close by. A picture or other visual of your ultimate goal is a huge motivator. Having it around all the time is a voice of encouragement whispering in your ear, helping you stay focused on the prize and energized to overcome any obstacle.
Everyone runs into a wall at some point. You’re not alone if you feel discouraged. To keep it from happening, or to deal with it if it does, try these ideas:
Use positive images. Find a visual that shows why you want to get healthy in the first place, or what you’ll be doing after you reach your goal. A picture of your family, the new dress you want to wear, or a basketball.
Use positive words. Keep notes of encouragement with you or choose a few favorite inspirational words. You can get plenty of these words on the Message Boards.
Use positive books and movies. Watch and read positive things that show you what’s possible. Trade your favorites with friends. Find a hero and try to adapt their qualities to your journey.
Use positive quotes. Check out our quote library, or keep some inspirational quote books handy. They could give you that lift right when you need it most. Choose one as your personal motto and plaster it everywhere.
Use positive music. Let music that makes you feel good become the background theme of your life.
With a visual nearby, your goal is right there. It’s clear what you want. It’s clearly within your grasp. You have the power to reach out and just take it.