Turn Any Setback to a Positive Experience

By Valerie Greene

Most people would love to find the mythical genie in a magic lamp. They’d rub the lamp, set the genie free, and instantly get three wishes that could change their life. What would you wish for? Money? Success? Health? Well, guess what…you already have the magic genie’s power within. That’s right. The power of the mind can literally change your life and make all your wishes come true.

Realize that everything we say, do, or think sends a message to the brain, and the brain works very hard to make our messages come true. So if you focus your mental energy on negative things, then in most cases you’ll get exactly what you envisioned. On the other hand, if you focus your mental energy on positive things, even when a situation looks bleak, you can create a positive outcome.

The old saying “if life hands you lemons, make lemonade” rings so true in creating your outcome. While most of us often struggle with applying this to our everyday lives, those who go on to achieve great things despite what seem like insurmountable odds have discovered this secret—that you can achieve what you believe is possible. Believing is the key.

It’s also important to understand that sometimes situations are put on our path to direct us to a destiny that we would not have otherwise chosen on our own. So negative situations can turn into blessings. Sometimes it can take years to realize how a situation impacts you, but it can turn into a positive—if you allow it to.  Following are some suggestions for making the most of any situation and turning it into a positive.

• Become aware of your thoughts: Because of our busy lifestyles today, many people aren’t aware of the majority of thoughts they think. To get an idea of just how many thoughts pop into your mind in a given minute, take a few moments to just sit in a quiet spot and clear your mind. If you’ve never consciously tried to clear you mind before, you’ll find that it’s not as easy as it sounds. However, with this exercise you will become aware of the messages that stream through your mind. When you’re in solitude without interruptions of traffic, the kids, the television, etc., you can finally hear the internal messages that the outside world distracts you from. Knowing these messages is key to changing your situation.

• Visualize the message you send: Think of your brain like a command center equipped with the most advanced sonar system capable of hearing and feeling the smallest of your thoughts. Every thought you think and word you say becomes like little soldiers set on a mission to fulfill every command, desire, thought, or action you initiate. Their job is to successfully carry out the command you set.
  
  So when you catch yourself saying things like “This is going to be hard,” you are programming your brain to believe that whatever it is will be hard. That message then becomes an image in your mind. Instead, create a positive image in your mind. Rather than visualize something being hard, say, “I will enjoy this new challenge.” The power of your mind’s eye is extraordinary. See it, believe it, and then achieve it.  

• Be ready to cancel negative input, whether it’s from you or someone else: Have you ever caught yourself thinking or saying something that you realize is not actually what you wish to create? When this happens, simply tell yourself to cancel that message.

Or, if you hear a negative message, in your mind visualize yourself putting up a shield in front of yourself that will protect you from the negativity. Let the negative messages bounce off of you. When you think and perceive yourself as more powerful than the negative situation, you will conquer negativity and create positive outcomes in your life.

• Give yourself permission to change your outcome: Often, people get stuck and don’t realize they can change their outcome. Why? Because most of us were simply never taught that we could. What messages are you giving yourself? It’s up to you to change your mind and to want different and better results for yourself. You don’t have to settle for the same results you’ve always had or the same outcomes your family and friends experience. You can change your situation and outcome.

Create Your Future Today: Once you realize that your brain strives to prove you right, you immediately become the master of the messages you hear, think, and say, which in turn propels you to create what you believe. Therefore, turning a negative into a positive actually starts with a dream, a belief, planted so deep in your heart and soul that it saturates your mind with endless possibilities. Practice it every day, and you WILL change your life.

At age 31, Valerie Greene was a healthy, athletic, and successful business owner until a massive stroke paralyzed the left side of her body and left her unable to speak.  Today she is sought out as a national keynote speaker delivering a powerful story of courage, determination and success.  Valerie is the author of “Fire Within: A True Story of Triumph over Tragedy,” and the soon to be published, “Driven by Fire: Surviving a Massive Stroke.” For more information, please email valerie@valeriegreene.com.

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