[00:00:00] Lori Gouhin: Welcome to the artwork of you, the podcast, where your life is the canvas and you are the masterpiece. I'm your host, Lori Gouin, and together we'll explore creativity, self awareness, mindset, goal strategy, and the importance of accountability so that you can paint your life's portrait. with confidence and ease.
[00:00:22] Lori Gouhin: Remember, in the gallery of life, you're not just a spectator, you are the art. So let's grab our brushes and start creating the masterpiece that is you. Hello, my friends. I am so glad that you are here with me today because today I want to talk about a concept that just might transform the way you see your thoughts.
[00:00:41] Lori Gouhin: And their impact on your life and also might change the way that you think about your daily routines, your challenges, and your goals. I want to talk about the power of your thoughts and the impact that they have on your life. And not just about thinking positively, but understanding how deeply our thoughts really can influence our reality and how we can actively shape this influence.
[00:01:03] Lori Gouhin: So let's start simple. Think about the last time that you had a really good day. Now think about how it began. Maybe you woke up feeling optimistic or you decided it was going to be a good day and without even realizing it, this initial thought likely influenced your behaviors and reactions throughout the day.
[00:01:19] Lori Gouhin: And this is the power of thought at its core. It's our ability to shape our experiences with our mindset. And now it's not just about thinking happy thoughts to magically change what happens to us. It's about setting. a mental framework that influences our actions. So for example, if you believe a meeting with your team will go well, you're more likely to contribute confidently, which in turn increases the chances of that successful outcome.
[00:01:45] Lori Gouhin: And neuroscientists have found that persistent thoughts can actually rewire our brains over time. It's a concept known as neuroplasticity. And I would highly recommend reading any of Dr. Joe Dispenza's books on this because he really goes deep into [00:02:00] it. And this means that the more you focus on something, whether it's a positive or a negative, the stronger those neural pathways become.
[00:02:08] Lori Gouhin: So if you're constantly thinking, I can't handle this, your brain gets better at believing it. And conversely, if you think. I can tackle this challenge. You're setting your brain up to make that your reality. So here's an example of what this might look like. Let's say that you have a business and business is slow and you're struggling.
[00:02:26] Lori Gouhin: Instead of dwelling on the doom and gloom, decide to focus your thoughts on growth and recovery. Start each day by visualizing a busy business. The positive visualization will open up your creativity and it will often lead to new ideas that you hadn't even thought of. That will help to expand and grow your business, which will in turn help you to take proactive steps.
[00:02:48] Lori Gouhin: So again, it's not wishful thinking. It will actually spark actionable ideas. And by aligning your thoughts with the positive actions, the results you're after are more likely to show up. Because one thing I know for sure is that your results are always a direct reflection of your thoughts. And so just as you set performance goals.
[00:03:07] Lori Gouhin: Set goals for your thoughts. Maybe this week decide that you will focus on three positive thoughts about your work every day. And I understand that when things aren't going well, or the way that you plan, it can be difficult to visualize your desired outcomes. So let's talk about that for a minute.
[00:03:23] Lori Gouhin: Here's how it works and how you can make it work for you. It involves creating a vivid mental image of your desired outcome, like a mental rehearsal. And studies have shown that when you visualize an action, you stimulate the same brain region as when you actually perform the action. So this mental practice can increase your confidence.
[00:03:42] Lori Gouhin: and improve your performance. You want to practice this visualization or mental rehearsal regularly because just like physical exercise, the benefits of mental rehearsal are cumulative. And so, like I said earlier, it's not just thinking happy thoughts to magically create your reality. I [00:04:00] like to think of it more like a magical thinking formula that involves aligning your thoughts.
[00:04:05] Lori Gouhin: Your actions and your energy with your goals so that you're actually creating the conditions and taking the actions that make new opportunities as well as achieving your goals more likely. And now let's address the elephant in the room because I know that all of the visualization and strategy in the world is not going to help you much if you have mental barriers, aka underlying limiting beliefs.
[00:04:27] Lori Gouhin: That are not in your best interest. And these are the internal voices that whisper doubts and amplify your fears and sometimes stop you in your tracks. And I know we've talked before about limiting beliefs, but really, I mean, can we ever talk too much about them because they're constantly there. And so limiting beliefs are often rooted in your past experiences or societal inputs or an internalized fear of the unknown.
[00:04:50] Lori Gouhin: And some of the common ones include. Number one, fear of failure, and this is a big one because it stops many of us from even trying. Fear of failure can manifest as procrastination, avoidance, or even self sabotage. And this isn't just about feeling uncomfortable with feeling. It's often tied to deeper fears about our identity and our self worth.
[00:05:12] Lori Gouhin: There's also self doubt. This lack of confidence in our abilities can paralyze our decision making and limit our growth. And this can come from previous experiences where we didn't meet our own or someone else's expectations. And it leads to a persistent fear of inadequacy. I was talking with someone recently.
[00:05:30] Lori Gouhin: I suppose you could say he's kind of coasting in life right now. Things are pretty good, but he definitely has goals that he wants to achieve. And yet he's not taking any action. And he was telling himself that he wasn't taking action because. Things are, well, pretty fine the way they are. He's lacking a little bit of clarity about what he really wants and that he's still just really trying to figure it out.
[00:05:50] Lori Gouhin: But the reality was that he's actually full of self doubt. And the aha moment came when he realized that he was still holding on to childhood memories, a feeling that he was [00:06:00] not good enough in comparison to his older brother. And these feelings were amplified by his father when he was little. He was And so on some level, he was in essence, protecting himself from having to experience that painful feeling of not being good enough by not taking action on his dreams and his goals.
[00:06:17] Lori Gouhin: And so it's not until we become aware of these underlying beliefs and what's actually causing them that we can begin to take the necessary actions required. And just one more perfectionism, because that's another big one. And while striving for excellence is positive, perfectionism can lead to unnecessary delays and stress.
[00:06:35] Lori Gouhin: As nothing ever feels that it's good enough to be considered complete, it's often a shield against criticism. It can be paralyzing as well, and it can prevent you from taking the action that you really need to be taking or to try new things. So to effectively overcome these barriers, there are some specific and targeted strategies that we can use.
[00:06:53] Lori Gouhin: And one is to recognize and label your fears. Because as I said, awareness is the first step. So when you feel a fear creeping in, label it, acknowledge it as fear of failure or fear of whatever else it is, because sometimes just the recognition of it can diminish its power, you know, it's like, Oh, I see you.
[00:07:11] Lori Gouhin: I hear you. Okay. If that doesn't work, you can also try something like exposure therapy, meaning start with small risks in areas where the failure has low stakes because that can desensitize your fear response. Or you can take a success inventory, meaning regularly remind yourself of past successes. Keep a log that you can refer to when you feel the fear creeping in.
[00:07:35] Lori Gouhin: You can also challenge the validity of your self doubt. Is it really true? Byron Katie does a lot of work on this with her four questions. I believe she refers to it. And it's always by starting to ask yourself, is this true? And how do you know it's true? Because often you'll find that the self doubts are based on feelings rather than facts.
[00:07:54] Lori Gouhin: And so actively work on areas where you feel inadequate because the more competent you feel, [00:08:00] the less room for doubt there is. And you can also see constructive feedback, right? Because this can help reshape your self perception and reinforce your capabilities because often others see in us what we can't see in ourselves.
[00:08:12] Lori Gouhin: It's also wise to set realistic goals and break those goals down into smaller manageable steps. This helps to alleviate the pressure of perfectionism by focusing on progress rather than perfection. And you can practice good enough by deliberately stopping when the work is good enough, and then reflect on the outcome to see That the world doesn't fall apart when things aren't perfect.
[00:08:34] Lori Gouhin: And finally, practice self compassion. Be kind to yourself. Remember, it's okay to make mistakes because each mistake is a learning opportunity. And you can put this into practice right now by taking a moment to identify a limiting belief that you've encountered recently. Write it down. Next to it, ask yourself, is it true?
[00:08:52] Lori Gouhin: And then you can write a specific strategy that you can employ to overcome it. So if you're struggling with self doubt, perhaps you'll commit to a new skill building course. If it's fear of failure, maybe it's about volunteering for a new project at work, where the risk feels manageable. And then you can write a commitment card.
[00:09:10] Lori Gouhin: Jot down what the limiting belief is. The strategy you plan to use and set a date by when you will take your first step. And this card can serve as a promise to yourself and a tangible reminder of the commitment that you've made today. You have the ability to influence your life's direction. Remember, you're not a passive observer in your life, but an active participant.
[00:09:30] Lori Gouhin: Believe in your ability to influence events and outcomes, because this boosts your confidence to take on new challenges. Positive thinking and visualization foster a mindset that not only faces challenges, but also learns and grows from them. When you're armed with the knowledge that your thoughts really do shape your reality, you're more likely to take proactive steps towards achieving your goals.
[00:09:52] Lori Gouhin: And so with this empowerment also comes responsibility. And here's what I mean by that. Recognize that your thoughts can influence others. So [00:10:00] strive for integrity in your thoughts, ensuring that they're constructive and not harmful and hold yourself accountable to your mental state. Just as you manage your physical and professional wellbeing, take responsibility for maintaining a healthy mindset.
[00:10:13] Lori Gouhin: And as you learn to harness the power of your thoughts, share your knowledge and your experiences with others, because helping others understand and use this power can amplify the positive impacts for all of us. These concepts show us. Not only the incredible potential of our minds, but also the responsibility we hold in using this power.
[00:10:32] Lori Gouhin: How you think, visualize and act doesn't just change your life. It can change the lives of everyone around you. That's a wrap for today, my friends. Thank you for sharing your time with me and remember to show up in your life like the masterpiece you are because you are the artwork. Please subscribe and leave a five star review.
[00:10:50] Lori Gouhin: Have a fabulous day.