By Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler
Advisor to key executives
http://www.landonyourfeetezine.com

I’m sure you already know that your thoughts, feelings and moods are all tied together. But ever wonder how it all works?

We are constantly surrounded by events – some good, and some bad. That’s called “life. And because of the way our brains work, we constantly evaluate everything that’s happening around us. This goes on 24/7 in the back of our mind on an “unconscious level we’re largely unaware of.

The end result is what we call “feelings.” Now although you may not be fully aware of how you “evaluated” an event, you will be aware of the feelings it arouses. And since feelings demand a certain level of brain-level awareness – they tend to dictate what we focus on.

The Mood Cycle

Here’s how this affects our mental outlook: If you feel “worried” about something, your brain is then “wired” to give any related event a “worried” evaluation. This is how we get locked into “closed emotional loops” around a given subject. Because although our feelings are fleeting, our moods are not! Moods are based on a brain-level accumulation of feelings that have been stored on actual physical neural networks.

So if you are in a sad mood, you tend to have sad feelings. Sad feelings, in turn, color your evaluations. And a negative evaluation of a new event will just further strengthens the sad feeling. This new negative feeling, in turn, helps “maintain” your sad mood.

This creates a non-productive vicious cycle that will build strength unless broken. Generally such cycles are best broken by changing your feelings, which will in turn change your mood.

Changing a Non-Productive Mood

How to break up such a cycle? One good way to start is by identifying any habits that are tied to the cycle, and take action to change them. One of the worst habits is “fence sitting.” Afraid of “making a mistake?” Look at it this way, the sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll learn from any mistake, and can then take a new corrective action.

For example: If you have a habit of holding onto painful feelings because of someone else’s unkind evaluation of you, now is the time to toss this memory the garbage. If you continue to allow their opinion to affect you, you continue to be their victim. The next time something negative is directed at you, remember that it is your choice to “buy it” or not.

And most important – eliminate any tendency toward self-doubt and self-criticism. There are plenty of people who think it’s their job to be cruel to others. You don’t need to do it to yourself! Far better to praise yourself. The most important pat on the back you’ll receive today is the one you give yourself.

All metaphors aside, each day in your life IS truly a new day. The only thing that can keep you from achieving your dreams is your own thoughts and moods. Just shake any concept of negativity and go for it!

Start your day off right by setting your sights on a better mental outlook. Life has its challenges – that’s a given. But obviously you’ve already survived some intense challenges to get where you are today – and can likewise rise above today’s challenges.

The truth is this: You are unique – right down to the cellular level. No one else in the universe has your particular combination of gifts and potentials. You have the ability to re-create any thought patterns that might be holding you back! Seize the moment and just go for it!

http://www.landonyourfeetezine.com

Tags: Personal Growth, Personal Success, Self Improvement