New Year, New Outlook, New Life

Happy New Year! We are already half way through January 2016. I love the beginning of a new year and the feeling of having a clean slate. Not only do I get a fresh start, but it is a great time to get back into the routine of exercising and eating healthier. It is also a great time to make resolutions, plan for the year, start new projects or complete the ones lingering from last year.

However, if you are finding it hard to keep your resolutions, promises or goals, you may find that adjusting your thoughts will help you keep them this year. I want to challenge you this month to begin to think about unhealthy thought patterns you may have and decide to change that thought pattern.

To help my clients lower their anxiety and get back on track with healthy thought patterns, I use different tools that will help them become more aware of their automatic thoughts and the ways those thoughts influence their unpleasant feelings. Surprisingly, these unhealthy thought patterns use a lot of energy leaving little to none left over to focus on their goals.

There are several common unhealthy thought patterns; one that I have struggled with in the past is catastrophizing. My tendency has been to overreact or think the worst in unfortunate events in my life without considering some positive outcomes. The result is an unpleasant feeling called anxiety. In addition, for someone with a temperament like mine, if left unchecked, the anxiety could lead to a very unhealthy way of thinking that spirals down and out of control.

The older I get the more I strive to live a balanced life which includes a balanced way of thinking. If I find myself catastrophizing, I replace those unhealthy thoughts with rational healthy ones. I think about the event and ask myself these three questions:

– What am I assuming is the worst thing that can happen?
– What do I believe is the best thing that can happen?
– Considering all the facts of the event, what is the most probable outcome?

I like to think the most probable outcome as the middle ground where my expectations are not too high or too low. I decide to think healthy and balanced thoughts which will lower my anxiety. I am able to use my gained energy to create a plan to deal with the situation.

Do you want to live your life with a healthy mindset? Do you want more energy to complete your goals for 2016? You are just a decision away.

Change your thoughts…change your outlook…change your life.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8