Every day we have hopes and dreams, wishes and desires! That is the power of our God-given Imagination! The Power of Imagination is a gift that we all have! How great is that! It shows up in little ways even when we were just little children making up stories, watching clouds, drawing pictures, and thinking what we would be when we grew up! As children this power allowed us to set up lemonade stands, build forts, create sand castles on the beach and led us to pretending we were someone or something else. We danced like no one was watching. We dreamed we were a great hero like The Little Engine That Could, and we believed we could do Anything! Remember? “I think I can; I think I can, I think I can!” And low and behold we KNEW we could do it!
Then we “grew up”! Oh My! Somehow, some way we began to doubt, doubt ourselves, doubt our power, doubt that we could, doubt that anyone would approve, and we became covered with ANTs!
A – Automatic
N – Negative
Ts – Thoughts
Likely as adults we may be covered with ANTs, and we could unknowingly be accumulating more, the older we get. These ANTs get in the way of our Power of Imagination and our belief in ourselves. ANTs give us permission to say we can’t and give us “good” reasons why we can’t. Unfortunately, those who listen to our ANTs are agreeing with us. Ugh! What are those ANTs in your life? Are you willing to get rid of them and in some ways return to being that little child?
ANTs can suffocate your creativity, your success, your happiness and your hope for a new, different and better life. These automatic negative thoughts are so automatic that you don’t realize they are taking over your thinking, creating grooves on your brain cells and therefore blocking your possibilities.
Scientific reach on the brain has confirmed that negative thought patterns will cause all sorts of problems in a person’s life. It could be depression, anxiety, fear, low self-esteem. Negative thinking attracts negative life experiences. We are powerful creators of something always! The greatest block to manifesting what we want is an ANT. Do you want to be happy? The Dalai Lama teaches us, “The central method for achieving a happier life is to train your mind in a daily practice that weakens negative attitudes and strengthens positive ones.”
3 Steps!
1.) Right now think of something you really, really want in your life.
2.) Seeing the ANTs (the “Yes, Buts”)!
Write down all your “Yes, buts” as to why what you want is not a part of your life right now. Your “Yes, buts” are your ANTs! Here are some everyday examples:
a.) Yes, I want to leave my current job, but if I leave, I don’t know where I would get any money.
b.) Yes, I want to spend more time with my family, take better care of myself and my home, but I feel like I’m being criticized for not being a ‘working’ mom.
c.) Yes, I want to exercise more, but I’m volunteering and I don’t want to let other people down.
d.) Add your own here: Yes, I want to ______________________________________ but I ________________________________________________________________.
Your Power of Imagination has been shut down with ANTs, Yes, Buts!
3.) Now Ridding Yourself of the ANTs and regaining your Power of Imagination!
NOW Your Power of Imagination can be re-ignited when you take your automatic negative thoughts and turn them to a positive action by saying:
a.) Yes, With God as my Source, there are many possible channels for my receiving my rightful income, and I am actively finding and pursuing those possibilities now.
b.) Yes, I give myself permission to take care of myself, my family and my home. I say “Yes”, to myself staying in alignment with my values and I say “No” to others. It’s none of their business what I choose.
c.) Add your own here: Yes, ____________________________________________.
The exercise above can be enormously, powerfully life-changing! You can do it. If, however, you would like me to coach you to success on this, I am offering a FREE 1 hour phone coaching session based on the concept of ANTs (Scheduling August 22 – September 5, 2017). This will be available to the first 6 individuals who schedule their session by calling 216-409-4906 or emailing Barbara@BarbaraHribar.com. I will confirm a date and time that works for us.
In the meantime:
1.) Become aware of your thoughts.
2.) Put a name to your thoughts: always/never thinking, predicting, mind-reading, guilt, labeling, taking personally, blaming, shaming.
3.) State how your thoughts are causing you to feel.
4.) Get a thought buddy whom you give permission to stop you in your tracks when he/she spots your ANTs.
5.) Complete the exercise above.
6.) Call for a FREE coaching session.
Master your mind, and you will master yourself!