As we see the end of 2015, I wonder if you have achieved all the goals and resolutions that you set for yourself at the start of the year? If you have, then well done you! Onwards and upwards to 2016!
But my guess is that a lot of people reading this would admit that they don’t always manage to realise their aspirations. If that is you, do you know why? Could it be that your own unhelpful thinking habits are stopping you achieving all that you are capable of?
The way we think drives our feelings and our behaviours. Whether we are aware of it or not, we all have well established thought processes that are fundamental to our success in achieving our aims at work and in life.
Are you one of those people who always assumes that you are at fault when things go wrong? Do you often think you ‘know’ what others feel about you without having to ask? Maybe you have a tendency to hear only the good things about yourself and ignore negative feedback or vice versa. These are all unhelpful habits that affect our behaviour and serve to limit our potential.
Learning to think about our thinking is a powerful step on the journey to greater self-awareness. It allows us an opportunity to swap unhelpful habits for a more positive approach; one that will help us achieve our aspirations rather than holding us back.
So try this. Start to take notice of your own thought patterns. Do you give yourself unrealistic expectations or minimise your own achievements? Try to step back from your instinctive reactions and consider alternative perspectives. Could you replace a negative label with something more factual? What happens when you resist the temptation to put yourself at the centre of every problem and instead consider the wider picture?
If you have never done this before, you might be surprised by what you discover when you start to observe your own thought patterns. The good news is that, with awareness and a little practice, even the most ingrained habits can be turned around and you will soon find that your mind is more open to more positive outcomes.
