Changing old habits and creating new ones can be a challenging but rewarding process. The key to success is to understand the habit loop and use it to your advantage. The habit loop consists of a cue, a routine, and a reward. The cue is the trigger that initiates the habit, the routine is the behavior or action that follows, and the reward is the positive outcome that reinforces the habit. To change an old habit, you need to identify the cue, find a new routine that satisfies the same reward, and repeat it until it becomes a new habit.
One effective way to change old habits and create new ones is to start small. Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on one habit and work on it consistently. It's easier to make small changes that are sustainable over time than to try to make big changes that may be too overwhelming. For example, if you want to start exercising regularly, start with a 10-minute walk every day and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts.
Another helpful strategy for changing old habits and creating new ones is to enlist support from others. Surround yourself with people who have similar goals and habits, and who will encourage and motivate you. You can also find an accountability partner who will hold you accountable for your actions and provide feedback and support when needed. Having a support system can make the habit change process more enjoyable and rewarding, and increase your chances of success.
Identifying triggers that initiate behavior we want to change is an essential step towards changing those behaviors. Triggers are the cues or signals that initiate the behavior we want to change, and they can be internal or external. Internal triggers are thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that lead to the behavior, while external triggers are environmental cues that prompt the behavior. To identify triggers, it's important to pay close attention to our thoughts, feelings, and actions in different situations.
One effective way to identify triggers is to keep a journal or record of the behavior you want to change. Write down the date, time, and location of the behavior, as well as any thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that occurred before and after the behavior. This will help you identify patterns and triggers that are associated with the behavior. For example, if you notice that you always eat junk food when you're feeling stressed, the trigger for your behavior may be stress.
Another helpful strategy for identifying triggers is to ask yourself questions that help you explore the reasons behind the behavior. For example, you can ask yourself, "What am I feeling right now?" "What thoughts are going through my mind?" "What events or situations led to this behavior?" By asking these questions, you can gain insight into the triggers that are leading to the behavior you want to change.
Finally, it can be helpful to seek feedback from others. Ask friends or family members to observe your behavior and provide feedback on what they notice. They may be able to identify triggers that you haven't noticed or provide a different perspective on the behavior you want to change.
The Essential oils I love to use when dealing with old habits are, Lavender, Clarity, and Inner Child. Here's my link if you'd like to check out amazing pure essential oils! CLICK HERE
Here's my free guide to the Five Stages of Change! CLICK HERE!
If you'd like to have a free coffee chat CLICK HERE!
Feeling stuck in life can be a frustrating and disheartening experience. It often arises when we feel like we're not making progress toward our goals or that we're trapped in a situation we don't want to be in. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and even depression. However, being stuck in life is a common experience, and there are ways to move forward.
One way to start is by examining the reasons why you feel stuck. Is it because you're lacking direction, motivation, or resources? Once you understand the root cause of your situation, you can start to explore different ways to overcome it.
There are several ways to move forward when you feel stuck in life. One is to set new goals for yourself. This could involve redefining your priorities, exploring new interests, or pursuing a different career path. Another way to move forward is by seeking support from others.
This could mean reaching out to friends or family for emotional support or seeking professional help from a therapist or coach. Additionally, taking action towards your goals, no matter how small, can also help you break out of feeling stuck. Remember, progress doesn't have to happen overnight, and it's okay to take things one step at a time. By staying committed and focused on your goals, you can begin to move forward and overcome the feeling of being stuck in life.
There are two types of mindset: growth and fixed. A growth mindset is a belief that abilities and skills can be developed through dedication and hard work. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow and believe that failure is not a permanent setback but a chance to improve.
On the other hand, a fixed mindset is the belief that abilities and skills are fixed and cannot be changed. People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges, fear failure, and view it as a reflection of their inherent abilities. They tend to give up easily when faced with obstacles and do not see the value in taking risks or trying new things.
The main difference between a growth and a fixed mindset is that a growth mindset focuses on development and improvement, while a fixed mindset focuses on innate ability. People with a growth mindset are more likely to take on challenges, seek feedback, and embrace change, leading to a greater potential for success and personal growth.
In contrast, people with a fixed mindset tend to have a more limited view of their potential and may miss out on opportunities for growth and development. By understanding the differences between these mindsets, individuals can take steps to cultivate a growth mindset and achieve their full potential.
Having a growth mindset means believing that you can improve and develop your skills and abilities through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. It's a mindset that encourages continuous learning and embraces challenges as opportunities for growth. People with a growth mindset understand that failure is not a permanent setback but a chance to learn and improve.
They view setbacks and obstacles as challenges to be overcome rather than reasons to give up. With a growth mindset, individuals are more likely to take on new challenges, seek feedback, and embrace change. By adopting a growth mindset, people can achieve their full potential and create a more fulfilling and satisfying life for themselves.
Having a fixed mindset means believing that your skills, abilities, and intelligence are fixed and cannot be changed. People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges, feel threatened by feedback or criticism, and give up easily when faced with obstacles. They see failure as a reflection of their inherent abilities and tend to view it as a personal weakness.
This mindset can lead to a lack of motivation, decreased performance, and reduced potential for growth and development. Individuals with a fixed mindset may miss out on opportunities for learning and personal growth because they are not willing to take risks or try new things. By recognizing and challenging a fixed mindset, individuals can begin to shift their beliefs and behaviors towards a growth mindset, leading to increased motivation, resilience, and potential for success.
Here are five ways to change a fixed mindset:
- Embrace challenges: Instead of avoiding challenges, seek out opportunities to try new things and step outside of your comfort zone. This will help you develop a growth mindset and build resilience.
- Emphasize effort over ability: Focus on the effort you put in rather than the outcome. Recognize that hard work and dedication can lead to growth and improvement.
- Learn from criticism: Instead of feeling threatened by criticism, view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Seek feedback and use it to improve your skills and performance.
- Embrace learning: Develop a love of learning and a curiosity for new things. This will help you develop new skills and improve your abilities.
- Cultivate a positive mindset: Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings, cultivate a positive mindset. Practice gratitude, mindfulness, and self-compassion to help you develop a growth mindset and achieve your goals.
If you would like to know more about "getting out of the rut" then you might like my book "Find Your Purpose/Find Your Passion. The link is HERE! You can also get my free resource "Stop! How do you get out of your own way? HERE!
So, what are the five "C's"? Here's a visual for you!
Today I'm going to explain how you can consider an alternative thought after you cancel the negative thought. So, how do you identify a negative thought? And, is it always a bad thing to have one?
Negative thoughts can often evoke a range of strong emotions, such as frustration, anger, sadness, anxiety, and even shame or guilt. These emotions can be difficult to manage and can lead to a cycle of negative thinking and feeling, which can ultimately impact one's mental health and well-being. However, it's important to remember that everyone experiences negative thoughts from time to time and that it's okay to feel these emotions. By acknowledging and accepting these emotions, we can learn to cope with negative thoughts in a healthy and constructive way. Seeking support from loved ones, practicing self-care, and engaging in positive activities can also help to manage negative thoughts and emotions.
Here are five ways you can change a negative thought into a positive one.
- Practice Gratitude: When you catch yourself thinking negatively, try to focus on something positive in your life. Take a moment to appreciate the things you have and the people who care for you. This simple act of gratitude can help shift your focus from negativity to positivity.
- Challenge your Thoughts: Ask yourself if the negative thought you are having is really true or not. Often, our negative thoughts are based on assumptions, rather than facts. By questioning the validity of our negative thoughts, we can begin to see things in a more positive light.
- Reframe the Situation: Instead of seeing a difficult situation as a burden, try to reframe it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Every challenge presents an opportunity for personal development and growth.
- Use Positive Affirmations: Positive affirmations are short, powerful statements that can help to reprogram your negative thinking patterns. Repeat positive affirmations to yourself throughout the day, such as "I am capable and strong" or "I am worthy of love and happiness".
- Focus on Solutions: Instead of dwelling on the problem, focus on finding a solution. By taking action to solve the problem, you can shift your focus from negativity to positivity. Remember, every problem is an opportunity to find a solution and grow as a person.
The faster you can change a negative thought the better. Did you know that your thought, whether it's negative or positive, will attract about another 200 similar thoughts within 17 seconds? So capturing that thought and considering an alternative thought changes your feelings, actions, and results into your desired outcome.
What are five ways to capture negative thoughts and change them
- Identify the negative thought: The first step in capturing negative thoughts is to be aware of them. Identify the negative thought and acknowledge it for what it is.
- Challenge the negative thought: Once you have identified the negative thought, challenge it. Ask yourself if there is any evidence to support this thought. Often we have negative thoughts that are not grounded in reality, and challenging them can help to change our perspective.
- Reframe the thought: Reframing the negative thought can help to change it into a more positive one. For example, instead of thinking "I'm not good enough," reframe it to "I'm doing my best, and that's enough."
- Practice gratitude: Focusing on the things that you are grateful for can help to shift your mindset from negative to positive. Take a few minutes each day to write down three things that you are grateful for.
- Surround yourself with positivity: Surrounding yourself with positive people, environments, and experiences can help to shift your mindset towards positivity. Seek out people who support and uplift you, and engage in activities that bring you joy and happiness.
This also requires mindfulness and practicing capturing or recognizing thoughts that are not what you desire. Practicing this takes time and patience so give yourself grace while you begin the journey of achieving what you desire in life over what you don't.
If you are struggling with negative thoughts and would like some help, HERE'S my link to book a free consult with me.
And go and grab this free resource HERE!
HAVE AN AWESOME DAY!
Mindfulness takes consistency and effort........... Kate Penwarn Thompson
Recently I was thinking about how I could explain to my clients about mindfulness, and mindset, in a way that made more sense and that was also a visual tool. I originally came up with the three "C's" and then it expanded into Five "C's".
So what are these five things that can help you begin to change your mindset around the things you don't want and believe that you can create the things that you do want. The first "C" stands for Cancel. Let me tell you a little more about that.
Here are 5 tips on canceling a negative thought
- Acknowledge the thought and remind yourself that it is only a thought, not a fact.
- Acknowledge your feeling and let it pass through.
- Take a few deep breaths and focus on the present moment.
- Practice gratitude daily to help shift your mindset to a more positive one.
- Talk to a friend or family member about the thought and get their perspective.
So let's take the first step. To acknowledge the thought you have be aware of it, which is being mindful. So many thoughts come through your brain every day and are generally very familiar therefore making it difficult to acknowledge if you're not practicing mindfulness.
Here’s 5 tips to practice mindfulness
- Focus on your breath: Take a few moments to simply focus on your breath and the sensation of inhaling and exhaling.
- Take a mindful walk: When you take a walk, pay attention to the sights, smells, and sounds around you. Notice how your body moves and shifts with each step.
- Enjoy the present moment: Take a few moments to appreciate the little things in life. Notice the beauty around you, the taste of your food, the warmth of the sun.
- Practice acceptance: Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up, and observe them without judgement.
- Set aside time for yourself: Dedicate some time each day to practice mindfulness. This could be as short as 10 minutes or as long as an hour.
Practicing these tips can help you to begin to CANCEL unwanted thoughts causing negative feelings that stop you from creating the things you desire. Learning to disrupt negative thoughts also increases your belief that you can achieve the desires of your heart.
Some essential Oils that help to increase awareness, lock in belief, and cancel negative thoughts are: Clarity, Believe, Transformation, Inner Child, and my new favorite Inner Child. You can go HERE to check out these oils from Young Living.
I have a whole online program that goes hand in hand with these principles. You can get a free guide HERE!
Or you can jump to the program and check it out HERE!
I also have a few free consults available. If you struggle with moving forward, negative thoughts, or any combination, you can set up a free consult with me HERE!
That's it for now! Have an awesome weekend!
