Lesson 10: Technique #3 Empowerment Thinking

Empowerment Thinking

The power of positive thinking, positive self-talk, and empowered thinking. 

Empowered thinking is not just about thinking positively and then all the old programming goes out the window and the mind is reprogrammed to “always” be positive from then forward. 

It doesn’t quite work like that. 

Empowerment thinking and shifting your thoughts to think positively takes awareness first of what programs you are running on. What thought patterns currently exist in the mind that are ruling your daily interactions. Through practicing awareness of the current programs, you are running on, as you become aware of them you can begin to shift them. 

By becoming aware of the thoughts that consistently flow through your mind, tools can then be used to shift your thinking – however, the old programs will continue to show up and override the work you are doing with the conscious mind if you do not align the work being done with the conscious mind with reprogramming the subconscious beliefs and patterns that currently exist. The conscious mind and subconscious mind need to be in full alignment in order to change your current reality. 

Using empowered thinking as a tool is stronger when used in the moment of limited or self-sabotaging patterns, so that you begin to reprogram the neural pathways of the bran in the moment of the programming. Over time these new neurons fire together and wire together to create new neural pathways, when this happens you will notice that you begin to think positively first over thinking with the limiting or negative programming that once was first of mind. 

Technique #1

Affirmations are one of the many tools available to us to create empowered thinking habits that form new neural pathways in the brain. 

I AM statements are the most powerful when using affirmations to reprogram limited thinking habits. 

I CAN statements are also very powerful.

Oftentimes we tell ourselves we can’t do something in the mind before we have ever tried, because in our mind the situation seems bigger and more complicated than it actually is. I CAN statements reprogram’s this limited thinking. 

Affirmations are a continuous practice that builds over time. You don’t say an affirmation once and then all of a sudden the old way of thinking is gone and the new way of thinking is now programmed in.

The subconscious mind doesn’t like change, so repetition and consistency is what programs the mind to believe the affirmations. Because the subconscious is a habit mind when utilizing affirmations for reprogramming its key to use them daily, sometimes multiple times throughout the day and in moments when the old programming shows up to develop new habitual thinking patterns. 

Affirmations also work well when written down, the consistency of writing them down reprograms the subconscious mind through consistency as well.

Use affirmations that create the outcome that you are seeking and not what you don’t want to happen, for example: 

Correct version: I am well 

versus 

Incorrect version: I am not sick. 

Technique #2

Positive self-talk is important to reprogram negative self-talk, limited belief systems, and self-sabotaging thought patterns. In moments when you are being down on yourself, or thinking that you can’t do something, or feeling yourself getting overwhelmed by all the responsibilities you’ve created for yourself; use positive self-talk to reprogram the old patterns. 

Positive self-talk is switching the limited thinking for empowered thinking in the moment to reprogram both the conscious and subconscious mind. When you find yourself being hard on yourself or saying things like I’m an idiot, or I’ll never be able to get all of this paperwork done – in that moment when you hear those limiting thoughts – switch them for a positive statement about yourself or that situation. I like to think of this as being your biggest cheerleader rather than being an inner bully to yourself. 

If the statement is mean or limiting in nature than don’t say it to yourself.

If the statement is one that cheers you on then keep saying that to yourself over and over.

As you develop this skill to be a cheerleader for yourself rather than a critic, it becomes easier, and you will find over time that when you make a mistake or have a lot of tasks on your to-do list rather than saying I can’t do this, you will find that you encourage yourself before limiting yourself.

This practice comes easier over time and with practice.

Technique #3

Shifting Perspective. 

The perspective with which you view life determines how you respond or react to a situation. Perspective is the lens we look at life through. Simply by looking at situations you find yourself in throughout the day with a different perspective, reprograms the subconscious mind.

For example: A car cuts you off in traffic. You think the person is doing it intentionally to be an asshole and so you speed up and tailgate him, flipping him off – honking the horn and screaming at him. Sound familiar?

What if instead you allowed the person into the lane rather than reacting this way?

What if you came to find out his wife just went into labor and he’s on his way to meet her or his mother was just taken to the hospital by ambulance. This would shift your response to this person, right? 

To feel more compassionate instead of anger. 

This is how easy it can be to shift perspective. By learning to shift your perspective to view situations through multiple lenses trains our mind to not be stuck on one outcome or way of thinking, but to be able to let go of the stories we tell ourselves about why things are happening. This reprograms the subconscious mind and opens up our thinking habits and patterns. 

It’s like being on a football field. 

The players on the field can only see the field in front of them and the other players.

The coach on the sidelines has a wider view to see the entire field.

The coach in the box at the top of the stadium can see the entire field, both teams, and the fans. 

However, if you are in a blimp above the stadium you see all of that, plus how the stadium fits into the town.

Sometimes we are so close to a situation (as the player on the field) that we can’t see the entire situation. Shifting our perspective can provide the opportunity to see the situation as if we are in each position, training the mind to be more open up its view, thus rewiring the neural pathways of the brain creating new connections to reduce our limited thinking and move us from stuck patterns into new, patterns. 

Strengthening the mental muscle is like strengthening a physical muscle; as you continue to train it, it grows stronger and more toned.