Wayne Dyer has a famous quote that reads, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

In the past that quote has inspired me, challenged me, and even provoked me to positive change. I reflected on that quote this morning, as I head out for a run. I could not find the energy for my workout. I had a heavy heart and concerned thoughts. I chose to go for a walk instead and just could not kick a funk that was weighing me down. I was trying, trying real hard to think of something inspirational to send you, for today’s Monday Motivation, but nothing was coming.

I started paying attention to the thoughts that were running through my mind, and I got to thinking about my thinking. I pondered, what types of thoughts am I thinking?

We can categorize our thoughts into all sorts of groups and it is actually an empowering activity to do. Not all thoughts are created equal. Some thoughts are useful and some thoughts are downright destructive.

I started coming up with different categories of thoughts and labeling each of mine. Below are the categories I came up with:

• Planning thoughts, “Will I have time to run by Costco after work?”
• Anticipation thoughts, “I can’t wait for my speaking group meeting today.”
• Appreciation thoughts, “I love where we live.”
• Dread thoughts, “I’ll be getting a negative e-mail response from ‘XYZ’ any minute now.”
• Guilt thoughts, “Another Monday that I didn’t get this message out before 5 am, like I wanted.”
• Discouragement thoughts, “I have too much on my plate right now. I’m spread too thin.”
• Visionary thoughts, “By the end of the summer work will be so much better, much more balanced!”
• Alarm thoughts, “What if it doesn’t? What if it doesn’t work out?”
• Dreaming thoughts, “It will, it always does. I can just see it now.”

So, either you are thinking I am crazy or you are feeling reassured that you are not the only one who thinks like this or maybe something totally different. Even if you cannot relate to that many different types of thoughts, I expect you can embrace the fact that we do think different types of thoughts and some types are more useful than others.

You could probably easily tag each of the thoughts I listed above as either empowering or disempowering, productive or unproductive, positive or negative.”

The minute we start thinking about our thinking is the minute we start using the top of our intelligence and empower ourselves to chose productive vs. reactive thoughts. The benefits of this transition are huge. It pulls us up, out of the drama and story of our lives and into a higher perspective. It brings us a sense of control over circumstances outside our control. It gives us the message of self-trust, self-worth, and self-reliance. It fully empowers us with the ability to choose higher, more useful thoughts, over discouraging and limiting thoughts.

Wayne Dyer’s quote inspired me today to not only change the way I look at things, but to also change the way I think of things.

When you change the way you think of things, the things you think of change.

Do we really want to use our thought energy to think about dreads, worries, fears, and failures? Or do we want to use our thought energy to think about appreciations, validations, goals, and gratitudes?

That is my encouragement to myself and to you today. Think on things that are useful, things that are encouraging, things that are inspiring, uplifting, and productive. Watch and experience how thinking of things in a positive, hopeful, grateful way improve your outlook, increase your confidence, and take your happiness to a whole new level.

There’s actually a passage of scripture that reinforces our need to take ownership of what we think about, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phillipians 4:8

It is my hope for you and my dedication to myself and my loved ones that we all think on the positive, we take ownership of our thought life and we grow beyond our current limitations or circumstances through the power of positive thinking.

With Love and Volition,

Corry