How to Turn Negative Messages into Positive and Elevate Your Confidence

Have you ever had an idea, a goal, a dream, or a sudden burst of confidence to do something new, only to be reeled in by your internal voice that says, "Who do you think you are?"?  All of a sudden we find ourselves in a tug-of-war between our confident, forward moving self and the other self - the one who holds us back by causing us to question our ability. You've heard those voices say things like:

You always start a new project and never finish it.
You tried something like this before and failed. Why do you think it will be different this time?
You didn't grow up in a family that did things like this.
Don't be so full of yourself.
What makes you think you can do this?

These negative messages sap you of your energy, reduces your self-confidence, and robs you from living a vibrant healthy life.

Here are 3 ways to turn the negative messages to positive and elevate your confidence:

1. Turn off the inner critic  

Here are some tips to turn off the inner critic:

• Shift your inner critic messages to messages of accomplishment - whenever your negative voices show up, remind yourself of the positive qualities you possess.
• Evaluate the critical message.  Is it true? Is there a bit of truth? Or is it a lie?
• Look yourself in a mirror and say, "Yes, this may be true about me, AND this is also true." For example: "Yes, sometimes I do procrastinate and I am really productive when I put my mind to it."

Just remember, when you hear the critical voice asking "Just who do you think you are?" you have the power to turn the volume up, down, or better yet, turn it off.

Replace that negative voice with a supportive, positive one that speaks power into who you are.

2. Move from Doubt to Get It Done  

Women who get things done don't let anxiety and worry hold them back. They are too busy moving forward to get side-tracked by doubt. They approach new opportunities with a perspective of hope and possibility which inspires them to focus on what they want and take action.

Doubters, on the other hand, come from a place of worry and a perspective of challenges and limitations. When we're doubtful about being able to achieve what we want, we open our minds to negative thoughts. And, as you can imagine, the more negative thoughts we have, the less likely we are to get started.

Doubt can be paralyzing. Even skilled snow skiers sometimes stand too long on the edge of a ski slope, looking down. The longer they look over the tips of their skis, the steeper the mountain appears, the higher the moguls, the further the fall. Doubt creeps in and sometimes the thrill of a lifetime is abandoned for something safer.

What about you?  Are you standing on the edge doubting when you could take the next step?  Next time you find that your doubts are holding you back from your goals and dreams, take these 4 simple, yet powerful, steps:

1. Take a deep breath.
2. Remember the skills you have that support you to move forward.
3. Determine your first safe step.
4. And just do it!

3.  Use The Power of Optimism   

Being optimistic is more than seeing the world through rose colored glasses. Optimism shows itself through your attitude, belief and actions. When you're optimistic everything in life is different.

Optimistic people:

1. Set more goals and put more effort into attaining their goals.
2. Stay more engaged when challenges arise.
3. Cope better during stressful times.
4. Feel better about themselves and the world around them.
5. Get more done.

In fact, it turns out that optimism is a predictor of work performance. The higher the optimism, the better your performance in all areas of life.

Here are some tips to become more optimistic:

1.   Expect favorable outcomes. This actually primes your brain to be on the lookout for and recognize possibilities.

2.   Make a list of the good things in your career or life. Scan your day for three good things that happened that day.

3.   Journal about positive experiences.

4.   Make positive comments about the world and people around you.

And just in case doubt and negativity might be clouding your thinking right now, trust me, this information has been scientifically proven.  And doesn't that just make you a little more optimistic!

These 3 ways of turning negative messages into positive will help you elevate your confidence and achieve your health goals with grace and power.

You can find more tips, strategies and techniques to help boost your energy and relieve stress with the FREE Boost Your Energy Starting Now Kit at http://www.joseesmith.com.