How to Silence Negativity

I’m a big fan of Spotify; I love the ability to listen to whatever I want, whenever I want.

When I listen to pop music, I drive faster-- when I listen to classic rock, I roll my windows down, drive slow, and chill. The station I listen to dictates the speed of my car.

When it comes to the road of life, all of us are listening to different stations. These stations already are, and will continue to directly impact our destination.

Just as I am unaware of the music beats affect my physical driving, I am equally unaware of how the station (or, “scripts”) I tune into for life impact my mental driving.

All of us have “stations” or “scripts” that we listen to, but we need to be aware and see the impact that these stations have on our daily mental driving and detours of life.

As we accelerate down the road of life, these scripts we tell ourselves are powerful. They determine where we end up, and if in fact that destination is happy.

Negative scripts can keep us completely stuck off-road and leave us surprised as to how we got here. This was certainly true for myself…

My own negative script was hindering me from driving on the road I want to be on. Scripts of:

Self-Doubt,

Self-Criticism,

And “What If?”

I constantly worried and kept my thoughts quiet; I was filled with anxiety.

I was only conscious of my negative script. I was tuned into this station that I followed it so far down the road of life that I was completely off-roading with no route back to reality.

I needed to change the station. But this is easier said than done.

Finally, the speakers blared and I heard a new station.

This is what I did, and what you can too:

• Identify the Message. The beginning is always the hardest part of the process. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge. We have to heal from our painful past to even identify what and who are informing our current state of mind. Invite others to help you through this process. Speak with loved ones, or seek the help of a licensed professional or clergy. You do not have to drive down this road alone.

• Challenge the Message. Write down the lyrics of your current negative script. Now, flip it on its head. What is the positive picture? Imagine yourself living and speaking the positive script. Identify your strengths and recognize the validity in these characteristics. Positivity is powerful.

Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss recommends the Five Minute Journal (5MJ). Complete this journal passage each day and night:

I am grateful for:

1. A past relationship: ___________________________________

2. A past opportunity: ___________________________________

3. A future opportunity: __________________________________

4. A material object: _____________________________________

What would make today great?

1. _________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

Daily Affirmations: I am…

1. _________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

To be filled in at night...

3 Amazing Things that Happened Today:

1. _________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

How Could Today have Gone Better?

1. _________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

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Record your responses for 30 days and review the progress you have made.

If you feel comfortable, let us know the results you have had. It is time to drive down the path towards happiness.

Have you changed your station, yet?