Part 1 – Turning Off Negative Thoughts

This Week’s Question:

From Anonymous:

I often feel trapped and frustrated, and sometimes even paralyzed when it comes to taking action in my business. How do I turn off all the negative thoughts and mental chatter in my mind so that I can move forward?

This Week’s Answer:

Good question!

The mind always thinks, analyzes and compares. It’s the nature of the mind to find reasons and motives, to ask questions, create problems and try to solve them.

Notice that I said, your mind “creates problems” It’s normal, but it does get in the way of us getting what we want.

Let’s talk about why we all too often don’t show up as the CEOs and bosses of our businesses. Why don’t we do the things we know we need to do, to get the results we know we’re capable of?

The way to handle and overcome this is first becoming aware that your brain’s wiring is causing the problem.

When you understand this, you’re going to have so much more power.

I know this for you, because I have been there.

There’s this tiny little almond shape organ at the back of your brain, it’s also called the ‘caveman’ part of your brain, that’s responsible for survival. In caveman days anything new or different meant death. It’s called the Amygdala.

The amygdala takes this ‘sh*t serious even today. Anytime that we go to do something different, the Amygdala says OMG, we’re going to die. It wants you to stay away from change, to stay away from the unknown.

As entrepreneurs, we are constantly doing things that we’ve never done before. Entrepreneurs drive the amygdala crazy.

Anytime you’re about to do something new or unfamiliar, show up in front of strangers at a networking event, or share your truth in front of lots of people, it’s freaking terrifying to the amygdala.

All it knows is that if she does this, we’re all going to die. It’s very dramatic.

So, the amygdala sends a signal the to the subconscious mind and it says “Hey, she’s about to do this thing!” The subconscious mind jumps in and says, “No, I don’t want to die,” better check for all of the stored memories that I have for when she’s tried something new, and I’m going to look for any evidence to see that we can do this.”

And when the subconscious mind can’t find any proof that you’ve done this before… it starts finding all of the reasons why you can’t.

It says, “What about that time when you were in 5^th grade and got tossed out of the spelling bee?  And then what about that time in high school when you failed a presentation? Or that time when you had to get on stage, and you tripped?”

It will bring up the silliest, most random things from your past. And in the moment, it makes perfect sense, that these memories are evidence to stop what you’re doing and be afraid.

The singular focus of the mind in this moment is, “OMG danger, danger! Get her to stop before we all die!”

And this is when you begin to think:

• I’m not good enough yet.
• Maybe I don’t have what it takes.
• What if I mess it up?
• Where do I even begin?
• I’m not good at this.
• Maybe I’m not cut out for this.
• Don’t you think you’d have figured this out by now?
• Why bother? I should just give up!

This is the stuff that goes on 24/7 inside all of us at some point. Nobody is immune to it.

And this is why we don’t show up, own our expertise, nurture our relationships online, letting people get to know us, and ultimately dominate our industries.

When you know how and why your mind and body work together, you can dance with the fear that naturally arises and it doesn’t have to stop you!

Please let me know if this was helpful, and you want to know more…