Rise Above The Racket
Are you struggling to achieve your goals and make positive changes in your life? Do you feel like something is holding you back, but you're not sure what it is? Chances are, it's your own flawed thinking that's hindering your progress. Our beliefs about ourselves, our abilities, and our goals can all impact our mindset and slow down our progress towards achieving what we truly desire.
How to identify flawed thinking and ways to change it so that you can develop a more positive and effective mindset.
It’s not easy to always identify actions and habits that you have like buildings blocking a potential pathway to access growth. But, this is the first step to changing flawed thinking; to identify it.
Here are some common types of flawed thinking to look out for:
Negative Self-Talk:
This is the voice in your head that tells you that you're not good enough, that you'll never succeed, or that you don't deserve to be happy. It's important to recognize negative self-talk and replace those negative thoughts with positive talk. Remembering that Allah doesn’t place a burden on a person more than they can handle. So what you are going through, positive or negative is on the same level playing field as your capacity to deal with. The shaytarn doesn’t want you to step on that ladder of growth, momentum and persistence as it knows you will have an impact on yourself that will pour onto others around you of goodness, which messes up his plans of destruction and loss of hope. In yourself and in Allah subhana wata alaa. Many times facing our fears head on will open up the door to squeeze through, allowing the opening of a new realm. We’ll have to jump on the transaction and be willing to trade the old for the new, the familiar with the unfamiliar, the easy with the difficult, the knowing with the unknown. It’s a trade to begin to take more control of our processes, leaving it in the hands of Allah after we have believed and taken responsible calculated, intentional, preconceived actions.
Practise Positive Self-Talk: Positive, optimistic thinking and thoughts. There is not a ‘one fits all’. Different actions, techniques, processes work for different people, so this process won’t be quick or easy for some. We have about 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day and if we don’t know how to guide some, it could quickly get out of hand. Tell yourself that you are capable, worthy, and deserving of all the good things in life. Instead of saying, "I can't do this," say, "I can do this, and I will do my best." As muslims even if there is something that we may not be better than our peer, we have a duty to still execute it and do it to the best of our ability.
This will help immensely as your internal thoughts and unconscious beliefs which drive you to become what you think you are. Influencing how you feel and behave.
Reading stories of the sahaba who were like us. How Allah tested them with difficulties and in self doubt on may occasions, even on the battlefields. But, when you read of the rewards that they will have from this,....... it is comforting to the heart and mind and motivating for the soul.
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All-or-Nothing Thinking is when you see things in black and white, with no shades of grey or in between. No room for changing or pivoting a few degrees off your narrow path of subconsciousness. For example, you might think that if you don't achieve your goal perfectly, then you've failed completely. Unintentional mistakes and what you deem as failures are only lessons to be learned from. When we percieve an event or our affairs as tests, it is nothing but what Allah has already told us.
Do not think that you will not be tested….
Adopt a Growth Mindset instead of all-or-nothing thinking. View mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" and "How can I do better next time?" This can help improve your ability to change your thoughts into healthier alternatives of thinking pathways.
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Catastrophising is imagining the worst-case scenario in a given situation. For example, You want to start a group or start something that you haven’t done before or do something that is not executed on a regular basis, but you’re not 100 % sure how it will turn out, although you really want to do it, and feel as though you are more likely to, than not, your mind has gone from 0 to 100 in negative thoughts of it not turning out as you want, no one is going to show up, no one is going to enjoy it, they will have a negative experience from the beginning, they will know that this is your first time. Or if you're running late for a meeting, you might think that you'll get fired if you're even a minute late.
Challenge Catastrophic Thinking by asking yourself, "Is this really the worst-case scenario?" and "What's the likelihood of this happening?" Focus on the present moment and what you can do to make the best of the situation. What small actions can you take, what small steps can you take to pivot your thinking to optimism?
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Personalisation is when you take everything personally, even when it has nothing to do with you. For example, if your friend cancels plans, you might think that it's because they don't like you, when in reality, they might just be busy or not feeling well or to be honest their pocket doesn’t stretch that far this month. Andddd if you're a mumma, it may be that the children have drained you through-out the week and your vibes are not the best at the moment.
Don't Personalise Everything: Instead of taking everything personally, try to give others the benefit of the doubt. Remember that their actions are not always a reflection of you. Ask yourself, "Is it possible that there's another explanation for this?" and "How can I communicate my needs and feelings in a healthy way?"
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Flawed thinking can hold us back from achieving our goals and living our best lives. By identifying and changing our thinking patterns, we can develop a more positive and effective mindset that empowers us to take action towards our goals. Remember to practise positive self-talk, adopt a growth mindset, challenge catastrophic thinking, don't personalise everything, seek support, set realistic goals, focus on your strengths, and practice self-care. With these strategies, you can overcome flawed thinking and achieve the success and fulfilment you deserve.