There was a time, earlier in my coaching career, when I thought, ‘Wait, so I’m going to teach people that to feel better, they just need to change their thoughts?’
Yes.
‘And I’m going to tell people suffering tremendous heartbreak; perhaps they’ve lost a child or are miserable at their jobs, or they feel stuck; they have unrealized dreams because they have a mortgage to pay…
And those people can just change their thoughts?’
Yes, & it works.
Let’s say you want to have a difficult conversation with your boss.
You have a patient safety-related concern to discuss.
Do you think, ‘They’re going to be upset with me; my boss might think I’m being difficult?’
Instead, think, ‘This might be a serious problem & could endanger someone. If I don’t speak up, someone might get hurt.’
Do you see how having that conversation becomes easier when focusing on the patient?
It might still be true that you’re worried your boss might be upset with you, but you’re willing for that to happen to keep patients safe.
Here’s another one:
It takes you 20 minutes to write an email, which could have taken 2 minutes.
You’re worried about how your email will be perceived; you want to be sure you’re explaining it well. Or you’re unsure of how to word your request.
Instead, think, ‘I’m intelligent, capable, & articulate,’ & just write the email.
What about something big, like, ‘They shouldn’t have died?’
Does having this thought change the outcome? No.
Does having this thought help you to feel better? Also no.
What do you want to think instead?
‘It was just their time.’
If that doesn’t work for you, keep looking- what thought WILL help you to feel better?
When I was in high school & lost my grandfather, a thought that helped me was, ‘I’ll see him again someday.’ (I believe our souls get to hang out together after this life.)
So, yes, I am recommending that you simply change your thoughts.
Your thoughts are a choice, & you can decide what to think.
Search for the better feeling thought & then think that thought over & over.
If you want to help with thoughts to enhance your life and how shifting your mindset can lead to better results, reach out. Working together, we’ll focus on techniques to improve your thoughts, making navigating challenges & achieving your goals easier. Book a complimentary, no-obligation consultation call here.
As a reminder, Logan Health Whitefish employees have access to coaching with me at no charge to you! You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote coaching session (via phone or Zoom, with more availability) here.