I realize there is a lot of controversy surrounding the Law of Attraction, which says that your positive thinking can “attract” whatever you want in life, and the film, The Secret, that explains this phenomenon.
But when I watched The Secret, my path to the writer’s life changed forever.
To my surprise, a great deal of the movie, and the belief behind the Law of Attraction, is dedicated to taking action. The “secret” might just be recognizing opportunities, taking advantage of them, and putting in good old-fashioned work. But there’s a catch. In order to get those opportunities to come to you, you have to think positively.
Whether you deny or embrace the power of The Secret and the Law of Attraction, I think we can all agree that positive thinking is much more beneficial than negative thinking.
Positive thinking lifts you up, while negative thinking tears you down. Positive thinking energizes you, while negative thinking makes you want to crawl back into bed.
But doubt, fear, and worry are hard to avoid, so we may need some help training our brain to be positive. Here are 8 ways you can practice positive thinking – even when you don’t feel like it:
1. Recognize negative thoughts and turn them around.
Most of us don’t even realize when we’re thinking negatively. Maybe you’re worrying about your bills or an upcoming doctor’s appointment. You’re not actually thinking “negative” words, so you don’t recognize the effect it’s having on you. But most of the time, you can easily see when negativity has taken hold.
When you have a negative thought, evaluate what you truly know. Are you confusing your fears for facts? Most of the time, we create problems in our head that just aren’t true. For example, are you telling yourself the writer’s life isn’t possible? If so, what evidence do you have? I can show you story after story that proves it is possible on the AWAI Wall of Fame.
Next time you get a negative thought, turn it around. Get the proof you need to convince yourself your negative thought just isn’t true.
The more you think positively, the more it will come naturally, and you’ll find things go more smoothly and you’ll be less worried.
2. Force yourself to think positively about your business for at least 15-20 minutes two times a day.
During this time, only think about how wonderful your business will be once you’ve accomplished your goals. Think about how your life will be when you’re living the writer’s life. Don’t worry about your website or finding clients or what you don’t know. Just focus on the good.
And here’s the key – imagine it as though it’s already happened. Say, “I’m so grateful I’m a well-paid copywriter,” and not, “Someday, I’ll be a well-paid copywriter.” See the difference?
When I first started this, I did my positive thinking in the morning, in the shower, and at night right before I fell asleep. Now I find myself thinking positively all the time. And when a negative thought comes, I stop, refocus, and spend some time thinking about the positive aspects of my business.
3. Read success stories of other people who have been where you are now.
Whenever you’re feeling down and you think you’ll never reach your goals, it’s a good idea to read stories of people who have been where you are and overcame the odds to become successful.
The AWAI Wall of Fame is full of stories like these.
You could also read biographies of famous writers and other people you admire. The goal here is to fill your head with thoughts that you can do anything you set your mind to.
Then you can take this a step further and post positive thoughts, quotes, and success stories where you can see them often. (I have mine on the lock-screen of my phone, and on my computer, fridge, wall, desk, and notebook.)
4. Network with people who are positive about your goals.
Don’t overlook the power of surrounding yourself with positive people. Make a point to call or get together with someone who lifts you up at least once a week.
Also, keep this time all about the positives. Everyone has problems and needs to vent occasionally, but when you’re seeking out positive reinforcement, leave the complaints at the door.
Another thing you can do is to find someone who can help you banish negativity. You should be able to come to them when you’re having negative thoughts and say, “Hey, I’m in a slump today and thinking negatively about my business. I’m not sure if I can do this. Can you help me turn these thoughts around?”
Some of the best places to find inspiration, positive thoughts, and guidance are AWAI’s forums. I’m personally a member of Wealthy Web Writer, The Professional Writers’ Alliance, and the Circle of Success forums. These forums are essential to keeping me focused, on track, and positive.
5. Limit the time you spend with those who bring you down.
If there is someone in your life who never has anything positive to say, limit the time you spend with him or her.
I’m not saying to completely cut friends and family out of your life, but consider your goals and how important achieving them is to you. Share your goals with your family and friends, and tell them you need them to be on board and to limit the negative words around you.
Hopefully, they’ll recognize how important positive thinking is to you and they’ll be considerate. If they’re not, make sure any time you spend with them is counteracted with double the amount of positive thinking when you get home.
6. Be grateful for what you have and what you’ve accomplished.
Set aside time each day to be grateful for what you have in your life. Maybe it’s your family, your home, your writing ability, or something else. There are probably hundreds of things. I’ve been a lot more grateful lately, and I’m seeing many positive changes in my life, attitude, and business.
Also, recognize your success, how far you’ve come, and what you’ve already accomplished. Whether it’s completing a module in AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting or getting your freelance website up and running.
Take this a step further and keep a journal of your success and the things you are grateful for. Not only will you have a record of your success, but you’ll also have another opportunity to practice writing every day.
7. Set goals.
You can’t achieve goals … if you don’t set them in the first place. Think about what you want in life and break those “dreams” into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
When you begin to think more positively, you’ll also begin to believe in your ability to accomplish your goals. Pursue your goals! Put everything you have into them and never give up.
When you have setbacks, recognize them, but don’t let them stop you. Think positively in spite of any difficulties that may come up. Know that you have it in you to achieve your goals – no matter what.
If you need help setting goals, check out this article: “From Welfare to Billionaire: How One Simple Secret Can Help You Achieve Your Life’s BIGGEST Goals.”
8. Believe in yourself and the knowledge you’re gaining.
As an AWAI member – and reader of The Writer’s Life – you have taken a huge step towards achieving your career goals. You take your success seriously and realize you need help learning all the tricks of the trade. So you should never doubt your growing ability. AWAI has all the tools and resources you need to become a six-figure copywriter and live the writer’s life. You just have to believe you can do it, think positively, and put in some good ol’ fashioned work.
Even you haven’t gone through the program already, I recommend starting with AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. That’s where I started, as did most of AWAI’s successful copywriters.
Remember, don’t think “Someday, I’ll be a six-figure copywriter.” Instead think, “I am so happy and grateful now that I am a six-figure copywriter.”
You will get there. I believe it and the people at AWAI believe it. But you have to believe it, too. Comment below to join the discussion …
