Ants Will Come - What Will You Do?
"The cup is half full," says the optimist.
"What - the cup is half empty!" exclaims the pessimist.
How a situation is viewed will make an impact on how a person feels. Seeing the opportunity in a situation brings hope. Seeing only the negative - breeds depression and discouragement.
Some call it "stinkin' thinkin'." Professionals refer to stinkin' thinkin' as automatic negative thoughts or ANTs. What are some of the ANTs cropping up in the minds of negative thinkers?
1. All or nothing thinking - black and white thinking, things are all good or all bad.
2. Guilty thinking - always, never, should, everyone, every time, ought.
3. Negative thinking - seeing all the bad things and not viewing the positive things in a situation.
4. Illogical thinking or feeling based thinking - basing a view on feelings instead of logic.
5. Blaming others - blaming or being a victim not allowing self growth or self responsibility.
6. Placing self in a box - names or labels are confining and bring defeat.
7. Predicting a negative outcome - claiming to know the future is fortune telling and will prohibit risk taking and the opportunity to succeed.
ANTS can be overcome. Here are three ways to combat or defeat the ANTs:
1. Name the ANT - which kind of ant are you dealing with - name it. Recognizing and naming the ant is the first step in combating the ant.
2. Keep a journal of your thoughts - writing down your negative thought and reconsidering the thought with a positive thought or positive outcome.
3. Speaking to the ANT - Replacing the ANT with a positive affirmation or statement will begin to reprogram the negative thinking. "I can do this. I am not stupid. I may be afraid but I will be courageous. I am responsible for my negative choice. etc."
Change starts in the mind. How a person thinks will determine how they feel and what risks they will take. When a person feels good, positive, hopeful and confident they will choose to set goals and believe they can achieve the goals even when setbacks occur on the path of change.
Taken from Daniel Amen, MD's material in "Change Your Brain Change Your Life"
