“Negativity is a Repellant”
“Negativity is a Repellant” is a quote from a Mental Fitness/Mindset graduate and coaching client of mine. She disclosed that she discovered this through the process of getting more mentally fit and building mental resilience.
You may be thinking that “negativity is a repellant” is obvious and you are absolutely right. However, when you have been sabotaged by negative thoughts and feelings for so long, you lose sight of how limiting and sabotaging beliefs are affecting you and others around you. This is where my client found herself. It was quite an eye-opening and transformational experience for her…and she and others around her are all the better for it.
“A year ago,” she commented, “I would have thought all this “mental fitness” and mindfulness stuff was “out there” and “woowoo!” Fortunately, she decided to go for it and now realizes how much of an impact it has made in her relationships, personal routines, and in her business. While misunderstandings, conflicts, and mental blocks have decreased, her confidence and overall happiness has increased.
This client enrolled in my Mental Fitness Bootcamp last fall and has developed a much healthier and positive mindset. The bootcamp uses Shirzad Chamine’s Positive Intelligence program to help people learn how to develop a mind that serves us rather than to harms or keeps us stuck.
The Saboteurs
Learning about the “Judge” and its nine accomplice Saboteurs (Avoider, Controller, Hyper-Achiever, Hyper-Rational, Hyper-Vigilant, Pleaser, Restless, Stickler, and Victim) that mess with you is key to becoming mentally fit. You know the phrase, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,” right? This program teaches participants how to recognize these sneaky Saboteurs, how they show up and how they can negatively impact your thought patterns and ultimately your potential and happiness.
Because we all have the “Judge” Saboteur, this program spends one whole week on the “Judge”. This sneaky fellow is active when you have similar thoughts to the following:
“I’ll never get it right”
“I’m not good enough”
“It’s their fault”
“I’ll be happy when…”
Can you relate? When we tend to judge ourselves, others, and circumstances harshly, we actually repel friendships, opportunities, and creativity. Judgement stems from fear and self-preservation and thus creates a gap between how we can embrace ourselves and others. It is also a major enemy of empathy, which is critically important in every personal and professional relationship. You may be wondering why empathy so important? It’s because empathy allows us to extend grace to our fellow human, see their perspective, and helps us be kind to others with differing views.
Self-Command
Participants also learn how to strengthen their mental self-command muscles, so they learn to be present in the moment. This disengages the “saboteur” part of the brain and activates the “thrive” part of the brain, the part associated with empathy, creativity, and focus. This, my friend, is a huge part of happiness!! There is so much evidence to support the power of mindfulness.
Moving Forward in “Sage” Mode
Finally, once that thriving or “Sage” part of the brain is activated, we practice empathy, curiosity, innovation, etc. that will facilitate growth personally and professionally.
Client’s Results
This is what the client above experienced and now she is seeing the fruit of her mental fitness workouts. Despite last week being busy and full of challenges, she reported feeling peaceful through most of it. And even during the toughest part of her week, the part that would have normally taken her into a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions, she was able to redirect her attention, and break that negative cycle quicker.
Bit by bit she is building mental resilience, so she can tackle the challenges in life in a much healthier way and her family is noticing! Instead of her default of negativity being a repellant to those around her, she has discovered that her shift to more positivity has proven to be an asset of attraction.
