Ten Day Negative Thought Fast
Last week we talked about the importance of self-talk. Our words and thoughts about ourselves can have an enormous impact on us. We provided some great tips on mastering self-talk, but how about a real challenge?
What about a 10-day negative thought fast? Could you go ten days with intentionally stopping negative thoughts in their tracks? The 10-Day Negative Thought Fast was developed by Emmett Fox, one of the leading self-help authors and speakers of the early 20th century.
It is a simple process, but not simple to execute. But it could turn your thinking around and result in some amazing change. How about it? Are you in? Let’s do this together and see what happens.
To get the full effects or benefits of a fast, whether it is a food fast or a negative thought fast, there are the rules:
If you break any of the other rules, you must start over from the beginning. To get the full effect, you must complete ten consecutive days. Giving up negative thoughts is like quitting smoking– you have to stop smoking altogether, or you haven't truly quit.
You may not focus on a negative thought, or remain in a negative emotional state for more than five minutes. Five minutes is plenty of time to recognize what's going on and to put a stop to it. Remember, even one instance of lingering for more than five minutes means you must start from the beginning again.
You must focus on solutions. When negative thoughts present, you must immediately start contemplating possible solutions. Spend your time solving your challenges, not focusing on them. If you're like most people, you've likely faced the same challenges for some time, but still not resolved them. It's time to do something else and not dwell on what's wrong.
These rules sound easy, but you will be surprised how difficult it is to give up negativity. We often think that worrying will help, but it doesn't.
When you have a negative thought (and there will be many), the best response is to think, "How can I solve or improve this challenge?" then immediately focus on solutions. When you ask good questions, you get good answers.
During the ten days, you’ll learn to recognize a negative mental state instantly and to begin focusing on solutions. Continue the process, and you’ll develop a permanent habit.
You may need several attempts to complete the full ten days. It's common to have slip-ups. Don't beat yourself up over it. Remember, you're focusing on solutions.
How to Take Your Focus Away From A Negative Thought
Ask yourself positive questions like:
What's great about today?
What do I like most about this?
What am I most proud of?
What am I most looking forward to?
What can I learn today?
When you fill your mind with positive thoughts, there is less and less room for negative clutter. We can only consciously think about one thing at a time, so making the most of your thoughts makes good sense.
Do this 10-day adventure and change your life!
