Focus on Positive Habits to Eliminate Negative Results
The following is adapted from Down Home Money.
Garbage in, garbage out.
You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s true. Unhealthy habits lead to unhealthy outcomes, and unhealthy mindsets lead to unfulfilling lives. The scarcity mindset is the most unhealthy mindset you can have. In a scarcity mindset, negativity is reinforced by the negative circumstances in life: your alarm doesn’t go off, you spill coffee in your lap on the way to work, your car breaks down, you lose your job…you get the picture.
To counteract the negative input we receive from circumstances, ourselves, and others, we need to consciously seek out and feed on positive input. Injecting regular doses of positivity into your daily life will help you to overcome the scarcity mindset that’s holding you back from achieving your goals in life. Here are some examples of resources that will move you out of the gutter of scarcity thinking.
Read and Listen
One way to counteract negativity is by reading books or listening to podcasts with a positive message. Authors like John Maxwell, Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, and Zig Ziglar communicate a message of hope and encouragement. Their messages are empowering and challenge us with the idea that you have one life and you get to create it, so if you’re not happy with the life you’re living, change it! Here’s a list of books to get you started:
- Intentional Living by John Maxwell
- The Success Journey by John Maxwell
- Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
- The 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness by Jim Rohn
- Zig Ziglar’s Life Lifters by Zig Ziglar
- A Joy-Filled Life by Mo Anderson
- The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
- Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
- The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Reading books like these can change the way you see things, which will cause the things you see to change. Instead of seeing your glass as half-empty, you’ll start to see it as overflowing.
If you’re more of a podcast person, here are a couple with a message of hope and positivity:
- The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast
- Unbeatable Mind Podcast with Mark Divine
Talk to Yourself
It’s also important to use positive affirmations to overcome areas of weakness where you are prone to negative thoughts. For example, if you struggle with self-doubt or low self-esteem, you can create affirmations such as “I am good enough” or “I am the best version of myself today.”
These can also keep you focused on your goals. Early on when I was pursuing my goal of financial freedom, I used a dry erase marker to write messages to myself on my mirror. Every day, I saw these positive affirmations: “I’m successful,” and “I’m debt-free.”
It drove my husband crazy, but I needed to daily remind myself of who I was and where I was going. So give yourself a pep talk in the mirror—it might sound silly, but trust me, it works!
Surround Yourself with Positive People
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Our close relationships affect every area of our lives—words, actions, choices, values, financial status, business success, and more.
If you spend most of your time with negative, depressed, unimaginative people, it will shape your thoughts and actions. Knowing that we’re already prone to negative and scarcity thinking, we need to spend time with positive people who fuel our energy and our joy.
We get to control the people we spend time with. Seek out people you want to emulate because of their positive attitude and perspective on life. Limit your time with those who drag you down.
In his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell discusses the law of the lid. This law says that a person’s lid to success in any area of life is set by those around him or her. This includes the ability to live in abundance. If you surround yourself with negative, fear-driven, reactive people, you set the lid on how positive and confident you can be. If you surround yourself with people who look for opportunities, think outside the box, and pursue success, you will do the same. The sky’s the limit when you’re with those people. You think bigger.
Stay on Track
My abundant and positive mindset got me where I am today, yet I still have days where I slip into scarcity thinking. Everyone does. The key is knowing how to pull yourself out. You have to coach yourself back to abundance.
Negative circumstances will happen so if you find yourself slipping back into scarcity thinking, call a positive friend or tap into those resources that get you back on track with abundant thinking. Pay attention to your daily habits and practice gratitude. Remember all the blessings you can be grateful for.
From day to day, you will continually be confronted with the choice to think big or think small. Remember that if you want to live an abundant, fulfilling life with positive results, you will choose a positive mindset. If you can let go of the scarcity mindset, you can overcome the everyday obstacles that get in your way. With the right mindset, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
For more advice on how to develop a positive mindset to reach your financial goals, you can find Down Home Money on Amazon.
Myra Oliver is a Kentucky girl who started her career as a hairstylist and became a real estate broker/investor and entrepreneur. She currently owns multiple Keller Williams Realty franchises. After earning enough passive income through smart saving and real estate investments, Myra sold her hair salon and retired in her thirties. Three years later, she found her passion in helping others build their own streams of passive income through real estate investments. Myra lives in Denton, Texas with her husband, Rick, and their chihuahua, Izzy. To learn more about financial freedom and living your best life, visit her website, downhomemoney.com.
