Welcome to Day 12 of 31 Days of Mom Mojo – Tackling Time Management.
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! ” Norman Vincent Peale
It all begins in the mind. Thought is the cause. Behavior is the effect. We think, and with those thoughts, we create, whether accurate or not.
If we perceive something bad is going to happen to us, many times it does. On the contrary, if we believe something good is going to happen this often becomes true as well. Science has affirmed the link between positive effect and its impact on an individual’s motivation and performance.
“The strangest secret is that we become what we think about, most of the time.” Earl Nightingale
If we expect the best or we expect the worst, we’re usually not disappointed. Each time we perceive a positive thought it increases our own perceptions of positive expectancy. Whether your draw on motivational quotes, scripture or music, you are doing yourself a big favor by feeding your brain those positive words.
Positive thoughts enable you to achieve self-confidence and self esteem. With these qualities you can motivate and inspire yourself and the lives of others – and isn’t that what we want to do as moms? Inspire our children and husband to be the best they can be? Why not ourselves as well?
Beginning your day with truth by reading the Bible and allowing God’s word to penetrate your soul is one great way to motivate you and keep positive. I know when I read truth, it will counteract what society and all the other outside influences want to try to infect me with – the “I’m not good enough, not smart enough, don’t do enough or am not pretty enough.”
I also know that the music I listen to can work positively in me or negatively. I try to spend time listening to praise music everyday. It is amazing how music can touch the soul and lift our spirit.
How do you replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts?
Surrounding yourself with positive affirmations and scripture will initiate change in yourself, in your life and in the lives of others. For motivation to last it requires constant thinking with daily positive reinforcement.
Many find it helpful to print up several of their favorite motivational sayings and place them where they’ll be seen frequently each day such as on your computer or your mirror or my favorite – above my kitchen sink. You can find wonderful pre-printed cards that make it easy to infuse inspiration into your day – I particularly love these scripture cards and these filled with God’s Promises.
What you see and hear each day contributes to what your mind thinks and if you’re thinking it, you are consciously or subconsciously working toward that end.
“Constant dripping hollows out a stone.” Lucretius
If we persist each day in some small way to stay positive then some measure of success will be ours. Staying positive along the journey keeps us motivated in the right direction.
An old Chinese proverb cautions too, that, “Talk doesn’t cook rice.” Too many times we’re all talk and no action. We already covered that earlier in the series.
St. Clement taught, “If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.”
What is your favorite scripture or motivational quote?
