Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/327054
7 Summer 2014 | Connections GOYA-cise: When a negative thought comes into your mind, instantly swap it with a positive one. An example of this would be thinking about a child's smile or someone you know. This will keep the mind clear of any negative thoughts. 2. Get Around Positive People Stay away from negative and pessimistic people. Surround yourself with positive people, and you will be more positive! This is a simple and crucial way in reaching a positive lifestyle. Negative people can rob you of your energy and drive. We must learn to get around people who are like-minded, have goals and have courage to go forward in life. GOYA-cise: Think about someone that you respect and has the positive traits that you want to possess. Try to meet with that person frequently so that their positive attitude will become part of you. 3. Read and Listen to Positive Information One of the best ways to create a positive mindset is by filling it with positive information. Too many times we get our information from the wrong places. We get focused on the negative news of the world and it bleeds into our subconscious. We need to learn to be careful of what we let into our mind. To get out of the negative rut, we need to get in the habit of picking up an inspirational book, find a positive article on the web or just listen to a positive inspirational CD. These positive items will open your mind, encourage, inspire, and teach you how to create a positive mindset. (Some of my favorite inspirational authors are Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Les Brown) GOYA-cise: Put a Positive CD in your car, home stereo or in at your office. Listen to it for the length of the car ride or 30 minutes in your home or office. Try to implement that one new positive idea that you learned into what you are doing that particular day. 4. Focus on the Future Too many of us dwell on our past and let it block our vision of our future. We think about something disturbing that happened to us or we think about something that someone has told us that upsets us, and we play it over and over like an old movie reel. We need to break this bad habit and visualize on what we want our future to be. The next time your past is haunting you, instantly think about something in your future. Write down your goals and create a vision board. This way you can always focus and see the positive things you want in life. GOYA-cise: Make a list of all things that you want in life. Go online and find it, print a picture of each item. Pin them up on a board in your office or home where you can see them. Look at this vision board daily and visualize yourself possessing all of these items. 5. Plan Ahead Using time efficiently helps to maintain a positive attitude. The best way to do this is to plan your day and your week ahead of time. We need to adopt this habit so that we won't let procrastination take over and keep us from reaching our goals. The habit of planning and focusing on your priorities and important tasks will help you accomplish more in less time. This very act will keep your life in check, help you stay on track towards your goals, and let you stay aware of your accomplishments. GOYA-cise: Each day sit at your desk for ten minutes and map out your next day. This exercise can save two hours the next day.