Five Ways to Experience YOUR “Pattern Interrupt!”

Tony Robbins calls it a “Pattern Interrupt.” When any of these negative thoughts assail you, take three minutes to completely focus on something else and redirect your thinking. Refuse to entertain the thoughts.

Here are four suggestions to create your own personalized “Pattern Interrupt”:

1.    If you are in the office or a meeting and can’t leave, close your eyes for a moment and picture a day at the beach or a recent fun activity shared with friends.

2.    If you are outside, take a few minutes to listen to the birds sing or focus on the beauty of the flowers in your garden.

3.    Stop and experience the moment by paying attention with your senses to your surroundings…identify what you see, hear, touch, feel, taste, and smell.

4.    Call a friend who may need your encouragement today.

5.    No matter where you are, recite a Bible verse that hallmarks your freedom. My favorite is, “Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:1-2 Amplified).

Negative thoughts are never helpful. And you don’t have to feel you deserve them as punishment for something you’ve done or not done (or some incident) in the past.  Discerning and critical observations can be necessary in making wise decisions but focusing on the negative only produces more negativity. Next week we’ll talk about how to replace negative thoughts with the positive we all acquire through the wisdom, knowledge, insight gained from a lifetime of experiences of every kind. Don’t miss next week’s “Steps to Creating a Positive Life.”