Using your subconscious mind to help achieve your 2015 goals

I love this time of the year.  It is a time when I'm usually on holiday and generally do a lot of reading.  This year I decided to re-read some of my favourite books. 

I first read The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy when I was on holiday in 2013.   The introduction begins by saying "Life should be an adventure.  Life should be fulfilling.  Life should be much more than existing."  By the end of the page I was hooked and knew it was going to become a favourite of mine. 

Murphy's main message is that we can live an amazing, happy life, achieve anything we like all by using the power of our subconscious mind.  We all have a powerful subconscious mind, it is just that not all of us know how to use it to our advantage.  I love the way that Murphy explains the subconscious and conscious mind.  The subconscious mind is like the flower bed, rich in soil and has the power to help seeds grow, whether they be flowers or thistles, vegetables or weeds.  We are like the gardeners, he explains, constantly planting the seeds of thought in the subconscious mind whether we are aware of it or not.   If we plant thistles, can't we then pick flowers and other beautiful produce.  Further, the subconscious does not know the difference between positive and negative.  It doesn't know to forget about the negative stuff, it just assumes that what you have told it is true. This is why it is so important that we take ownership of our thoughts. 

We can consciously control our thoughts, to help our subconscious garden grow exactly what want so that we can do what we want, achieve what we want, be what want.

These concepts can be particularly powerful when it comes to achieving our goals for 2015.  It isn't just a matter of saying you want to do something.  You need to believe and think that you can do it.  The more you say to you feed your subconscious brain positive thoughts about your goals, the more likely you are going to achieve them.

I myself have used these concepts with some good results.  For example, one of my current goals is about getting back running again after recovering from surgery.  Whilst I love to exercise, there are some days when it is a bit of a struggle.  Most of the time that can be bought back to my thoughts - "I'm feeling a bit tired", "I'm not sure I can do this", "it's too hot" etc.  Running along with those kind of thoughts is tough, you feel sluggish, slow and it is hardly fun.  I have discovered the best way of combating this stop sign is to use positive thoughts.  I start each run by saying to myself "This run is going to be awesome, I feel great, fast and flexible".  Then during the run if I get fatigue or any negative thoughts slip in I use thoughts such as "I'm fast, flexible and am having a great run" or "I feel awesome".  I can literally turn a sluggish slow run around just by using those thoughts.  All of a sudden I don't feel any of the drains anymore and I CAN do it!

So I urge you to take some time out and reflect on your 2015 goals:

What have your thoughts been about your goals?  Have you set them but then been doubting your abilities?  Have you been saying "it will be tough", "I am not sure I can do it" or "I never achieve my goals". 

Now think about how you can you change your thoughts to be more positive.  Write down some positive thoughts or affirmations about each of your goals, being really specific where possible.  For example:  Say your goal is to run 5km in 20 minutes, then your affirmations could be "I run 5km in 20 minutes", "I'm a fast runner", "I'm a great runner" etc. 

Next start using these positive thoughts or affirmations on a daily basis, begin by saying them to yourself first thing in the morning, before you do anything.  Continue saying them several times throughout the day.  Setup a reminder on your phone or email if that helps you to remember to do it.  I have even posted mine in the toilet as a good reminder!  Then finally, say them at night before you go to sleep.

Go forth and achieve those goals!

Catherine

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This blog post is part one of a series focused on helping you achieve your goals.
Catherine is available for one-on-one or group coaching sessions.  Mention you saw this post and receive a 50% discount on your first session.  Please contact Catherine for further information.
We are going to be running a series of workshops this year that is focused on helping you achieve your goals.  Check out our Seminars page or contact Catherine for further information.

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