Positive thinking in this day and age is a tool people are trying to incorporate into their lives; from housewives to CEOs. But the question is what is positive thinking and how do our thinking patterns truly affect how we feel and how successful we are?

The mind is a neutral party and can be positive or negative depending on what it is trained to think. Our training comes from our lives as a whole and many people are an active part of our training: parents, teachers, friends, those of a religious position etc. So at the point that we begin to choose what information we want, and what information serves the mind, it is here where we decide whether or not to absorb positive or negative information. To be positive is not to simply think, on a conscious level of happy things but to get to the roots of our thinking and make changes in the subconscious. It will then start to show in all aspects or our lives. Success breeds success; therefore successful thoughts breed successful thoughts which in turn breed successful actions, and so on. So if you begin to create successful thoughts and make it a habit to think this way you will become successful.

An example of our training is in our beliefs. Our beliefs are our filters in life. They decide the way in which we view the world, and whether or not we will absorb certain pieces of information. If I believe that all men are not worthy, then no matter what man I meet, regardless of how fantastic he is, I will still view him as not worthy, because I was trained to do so.

So the question now is how do we overcome the training that we were given, and eradicate those beliefs and patterns of thinking that do not support us?

If you feel that you hold a particular belief, e.g., the one about men, go out and act against this belief. Go and give a man a chance. This changes the mental connections of the old thinking and so you are forming a new belief. The more you challenge a belief the less your mind holds on to it.

1. Write down your thoughts and feelings. This is a great way to get to the subconscious mind.

2. Be more aware of the thoughts that color your judgment. The more aware you are the better chance you have at changing the ones you do not like.

3. What you think is a mirror image of your life, subconsciously and consciously. So whilst you are working on the subconscious, watch what your conscious thoughts are. If they are negative acknowledge them, but move on and act in spite of these thoughts.