"What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists...and it becomes available only when you are in that state of mind in which you know EXACTLY what you want...and are fully determined not to quit until you get it."

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), Scottish-born American inventor

I received an e-mail from someone this week in which they referred to 'a state of mind rather than a reverse of ideas'. It made me think about how important our state of mind is when we are attempting something new, or even something not so new. If we are in a negative state of mind, we are almost certainly setting ourselves up for disappointment, however, having a positive frame of mind gives us a great advantage in facing new challenges, and, while it doesn't guarantee success, it certainly gives us the heads up!

What is your state of mind like today? Are you ready to face anything that comes your way with a belief in your ability to cope, or are those unhelpful voices in your head telling you that you are useless and you won't be able to get by? If you are in the latter state of mind then I have one word for you - STOP! Stop those unsupportive, discouraging words from taking a hold in your head and replace them with ones that encourage and prop you up. One thing is certain; you are in control of your state of mind, so choose to have an outstanding, uplifting one.

How do you think about yourself in relation to your goals? Do you see yourself as someone who is capable and able to achieve everything you set out to do, or do you sabotage your progress by thinking of yourself as less than that? Today is the day that you will either start to build on the fantastically positive attitude that you have - or - you will change your thinking and start to support yourself with encouraging thoughts and language. "I can do this.” "I am capable of achieving this.” This is not to say that everything will be in your reach, but you will be certain that you will do your utmost to accomplish all that you can.

Does having a negative state of mind give you an excuse not to do certain things? What have you been putting off that you really need to do? It's time to reexamine your reasons for not getting them done. What is stopping you? Is it your thoughts concerning the actions, or is there something more tangible that is getting in your way? What needs to happen first? A shift in thinking, or something else? Having an upbeat attitude will place you in a position of strength. Be your own best friend and support yourself. As the advert says 'You're worth it!'

If you are making changes to the way you think about yourself and others, you will need to work on it daily. Actively practice supportive self-talk, which involves those voices that you hear in your head when you are planning to do something that may be a bit challenging. If the slightest hint of negativity creeps in, I want you to say a loud "STOP!” (out loud or in your head - you choose) and I want you to turn that thought around. So "I'll never be able to do that in a month of Sundays” will become "It may take me a little time, but with the right help, I am certain I will get it done”.

Hey, no-one's forcing you to be a positive thinker! Just a thought though - what are you actually gaining from having a negative state of mind? What is the pay-off? It's worth considering….

Get creative with your thinking. This is where the fun starts! You know those unsupportive, discouraging words I mentioned earlier. Play with them. Turn them around and create new encouraging, confident words that will be a pleasure to say and hear. Let your state of mind become a state of being. Each day you have the chance to start something new, to be something new. All it takes is a shift in thinking. Who and what do you want to be today? I choose the cheerful, optimistic me over the downright miserable one every time. How about you?

Thoughts. Attitude. All internal, but, oh, so powerful! Like many of these things the cost is not monetary, but one of effort and application. If you are already a positive person, then I applaud you and hope that you continue to sustain and build on that. If you are not, however, then try it for a while and see how you like it. Make the effort to be positive, even if only for a day at a time. You never know, that certain state of mind might just grow on you!

©Kate Harper 2006