Bite Sized Habits Newsflash - Positive Truths

"Take a simple idea and take it seriously "

Charlie Munger

Something to Listen To

Angela Duckworth, the #1 NYT bestselling author of Grit, shares her insights on how to Thrive in times of stress. This talk is particularly relevant if you are a manager or even a parent.

(Watch/listen from 2:40 | 56 min watch/listen)

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Something to read

Ticking off another day on the calendar in which you perform your habit? Whilst noting "streaks" can be important for initial engagement it is also important to tie your habit to a specific context (i.e. time of day or place). This article details why we feel so bad for breaking a streak and why practising forgiveness is so important if you want to stay on track long term.

(5 min read)

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Bite Sized Habit of the week

Positive Truths Exercise​

If you are human, then you will have negative or self-critical thoughts. If they are affecting how you feel on a daily basis. Then it’s time to pause, take a moment, and look for ways in which to address the impact these thoughts are having on your mood, your choices and ultimately, your relationship with yourself.

The below is an exercise that you may want to do on your own, somewhere quiet with a pen and paper. I suggest taking at least 10 minutes to do this, however you can take as little or as long as you have available to you, it will still be worthwhile. You may even want to do this exercise throughout the week so you can become aware of any of patterns of negative thoughts and start to frame them in a more positive light.

Step 1: Draw two columns. In the one on the left write down some of the negative self-talk you use with yourself on a daily basis.

Step 2: Be specific, whenever possible, and include anyone you remember who contributed to that message.

Step 3: Now stop and take a minute to counter each of these thoughts with a positive truth in your life. Write a positive truth in the column next to the negative belief.

For example; you may have a negative message that replays in your head such as; ‘I’ll never be able to resist temptation’ or ‘I will never look or feel the way I want to’, ‘I will never be able to achieve my goal’, 'I have no willpower, no motivation'. What would be a positive truth for these responses?

For example, a positive truth could be:

· ‘I have resisted many temptations in the past and am growing this skill to make it stronger.’

· ‘I am happy and healthy and am making steps each day to develop healthy habits that last.’

· ‘I am strongly committed to my health and taking action on my exercise routine each day keeps me committed.’

· I am committed to my goal and am taking small steps as I know these are most the sustainable way to develop healthy habits that last

· ‘I care about my health therefore I care about how I treat myself physically and mentally.’

Whatever your responses are they need to be something that is completely true for you.

Please note you may not have all the answers straight away and that’s OK. Over the next week or so try and become aware of any regular patterns of negative thinking that come up for you, start to become curious about these, you can note them here and look to create some positive truths to counter these patterns.

This can also become a really helpful rhetoric to develop when things get in the way or start to slide. As they will inevitability do which is to be expected you are human after all. In these circumstances, you can empower yourself by choosing to overwrite the automatic negative self-talk message with a positive one, such as: ‘I choose to accept and grow from my mistake’ or ‘As I learn from my mistakes, I am becoming a better person, who is able to give more to myself and my family as a result.’

During this exercise, mistakes, temptation and negative thought patterns are replaced and instead become opportunities to rewrite negative views of who you are with positive options for personal growth.

Cultivating a positive voice is not only a kinder, and nicer way of being it is also more motivating and enhances your ability to stick with your goals.

To learn more, take a look at the Bite Sized Habits course.