20 Minute Positive Thinking Exercise

Kaihan Krippendorff emailed out a great little article called the "20-Minute Exercise To Eradicate Negative Thinking" recently. I thought that Kaihan's "how to" was really a very positive thinking exercise.

Kaihan said in his introduction to "Imagine a hot air balloon being held down by four anchors. The balloon represents the belief holding you down and [the] actions and words [that] this belief influences. The four anchors represent evidence, logic, emotion, and social consensus. To release the balloon you must replace the offending belief".

He listed five steps to do this:

1. Identify the belief holding you back. Kaihan's tip for this was to "Write down beliefs until you find one that hurts". Try to identify things said by that nagging "you can't do that" voice when you set out to do something new.
2. Identify your anchors; the evidence for that belief; the logic of this belief; the emotions anchoring you; the social consensus - people - around you reinforcing it; and what "dependent beliefs” fit? (ie Kaihan desires to be a speaker, so dependent beliefs are that this is self-centered, and thinking there is a unique offer for people is conceited)
3. Pick a new belief consistent with someone who has achieved your dream
4. Release your anchors - gather supporting evidence, think through the logic, have supportive emotions and social consensus - so you can embed your replacement beliefs
5. Live your new belief. Writing down five specific things you will do (action) and say (words), and practice, practice, practice until you build your new habit!

A lecturer of mine used to say that it takes 90 iterations to build a habit: so if you do something daily for three months, you will own it.

Reference: Krippendorff, Kaihan (17 November 2012). 20-Minute Exercise To Eradicate Negative Thinking. USA: FastCompany Ltd. Retrieved 17 November 2012 from http://www.fastcompany.com/3003046/20-minute-exercise-eradicate-negative-thinking 

Sam