| You can’t see your way out – feel it, understand it, or figure it out, until you can Diana Nyad it and FIND A WAY. We all need “eyes to see.” And so often we don’t have those eyes because we’re using the same old dirty lenses: • Overwhelm • Deflecting • Micromanaging • Avoidance • Procrastination • Hopelessness The definition of a new perspective is a) a different viewpoint, b) a new way of thinking or looking at a problem, or c) fresh new tactics to tackle something or some issue. We often defend our perspectives – the reality of seeing that there could actually be another way of seeing things is tough to look at. But why? It could mean that for a number of years, we’ve been holding onto this way of doing things; we would have to admit that we were wrong, and we’d have to be willing to change. |
| I love Thought Ladders because they help us climb out of the dark hole of overthinking (which leads to a whole bunch of other “overs.”) Thought Ladders are incremental and doable. They require less “shock and awe” and a more gentle and thoughtful approach to finding our way to a calmer life. We’ve talked about Thought Ladders before, and yesterday I showed you how and why Thought Ladders may be the tool to get you off the mountain and onto the molehill. I believe Thought Ladders help your brain get to the place of believability in that crazy new affirmation that you may be struggling with. The creation (and expectation) of Thought Ladders looks like this: 1. Start with a negative thought that has stopped you from reaching your GOAL. For example, “I am overwhelmed” is common. This means you’re over your head, unable to move, and feeling buried. So if you start at the bottom, you need wiggle room to emerge … hold on … 2. Write out the TOP thought and goal that you desire. “I am accomplishing what I want.” (Even if you don’t believe it -yet!) 3. Write out some in-between steps (rungs) that lead to POSSIBILITY. These are considered NEUTRAL thoughts – not Pollyanna-ish or overly optimistic, nor do they keep pessimism alive. I am open to _____ I am starting to believe that _____ 4. Look at what you’ve constructed. How does it land and make you feel? Are you good with it, or does it need a little more massaging? 5. Practice your Thought Ladder in your journal, your thoughts, and the spoken word. Remember to teach yourself something new, and gaining new insights will help. |
| When you create a new perspective, you need to practice it! It’s new – there are new brain synapses to connect, and there is work to be done. BUT, this is the most amazing work you can do to get to the place and perspective you want to have. Mountains need not take up the landscape of your lifeit’s time to develop new and effective ways to deal with them. |