by Jayaram V
When you are caught in an endless loop of routine life, you suffer from
monotony,
despair and the frustrating and unsettling feeling that fate
has given you a raw deal. You feel as if there is nothing
else to do or nothing else can be done as you see no possibilities and
opportunities for your betterment. Even if you see some, you will
not believe they are worth trying. Occasionally you may even wonder whether things would have been
better if only you lived in another country or in a different age or had more
money, better parents, married someone else or gone to a prestigious
school or college.
A routine life that is devoid of direction and motivation is a sign that you
have reached a plateau and that you do not believe anymore in
yourself and your ability to control your life. When
you do not have faith in yourself, you stop asserting yourself and let
things happen to you. You look for the approval of others, unable to
decide for yourself what is good for you or take initiative to improve
your situation. You live with tepid resignation in your own little
circle, unwilling to venture beyond and uncomfortable with the thought of dealing
with the unknown and the unfamiliar. You live like a clog in a gigantic
machine defensively and passively, suffering
from fear, anxiety and low self-esteem.
Many people get stuck in their lives because they do not believe in
themselves and cannot decide for themselves. They are overwhelmed by their own debilitating thoughts and
beliefs, living passively, as if they are born to suffer and
do not have power over their lives. They quintessentially blame someone
or something else for their problems to cope with their own
feelings of inadequacy. They do not want to take responsibility for
their lives or believe wholeheartedly that they can learn to respond
differently to their circumstances so that they can take control
of their lives and realize their dreams.
Hoping for betterment or a better life is a sign of positive mental
attitude. It keeps people alive and positive. But to
sustain hope you should have faith in yourself. You should believe in
your own ability to change things or manage change, rather than hoping
for some external event
or circumstance to come to your aid. Millions of people in the
developing world look to their governments for help, while those in
power quietly exploit their sense of dependence for their own ends.
They do little to make them independent or stand on their own feet. The
government's responsibility is to create equal opportunities and
conditions conducive to development, while people have to make
themselves self-sufficient through their own efforts and
self-discipline.
The first
step in breaking your habitual responses to external events and your
routine life is to know that you create every moment of your life
through your own thoughts and actions. Your self-talk and limiting
beliefs shape your life and circumstances much more than you think and keep you within your comfort zone
most of the time.
When you are stuck in your comfort zone, you try to surround yourself
with walls of comfort and generally do some or most
of the
following.
1. You stick with your old friends and hesitate to build new friendships
and relationships.
2. You do not ask others for help, especially those with whom you
are not familiar.
3. You are not inclined to look for a new job
or learn some new skills even if you are bored or unhappy with your present
job.
4. You prefer to avail the same services, go to the same restaurants
or visit the same places for vacation.
5. When you have financial difficulties,
you prefer to limit your expenses rather than looking for ways and
means to increase your income.
6. You do not want to change yourself or your life even though you
are clearly dissatisfied with your
present situation in life.
7. You speak or think mostly about your past achievements or missed
opportunities.
8. You prefer to solve your problems conventionally, following the
examples of others rather than innovatively and creatively.
9. You are uncomfortable with unfamiliar people and places.
10. You hesitate to express your thoughts and ideas freely for fear of
criticism or ridicule.
11. You are weak in negotiations.
12. You do not assert yourself or speak about yourself comfortably.
13. You prefer to live like a man without means even though you earn a decent
income.
14. You are uncomfortable with thinking big,
buying expensive things or using quality services, which you believe only the
rich can afford.
15. You are uncomfortable dealing with people who do not belong to your
caste, race, nation, religion, community or profession.
You can also use the above mentioned as a checklist to know how you are
limiting yourself by confining yourself to your comfort zone. Imagine a person who
had been living inside a dark dungeon for most part of his
life because he was always afraid to go out. Then suddenly one day he was
overcome by curiosity and decided to go out and see the world for himself.
Imagine what would happen when he climbed out of the dungeon and stepped into the beautiful world outside. A similar
kind of experience probably will await all those who will venture out of their comfort zones,
overcoming their fears and limiting self-talk. They will not only discover their true potentials
and abilities but also find new possibilities and opportunities that will help
them achieve
greater success and happiness in their lives.
Getting our of your comfort zone with positive affirmations
You can come of out your comfort zone by goading yourself into positive
action by planting strong and powerful
affirmations in your mind. You can change your behavior and habitual thinking through strong
and powerful affirmations. Using affirmations, you can dispute your self-talk and
learn to think positively about yourself and your abilities. With affirmations, you can overcome
your fears and doubts and your self-inflicted limitations and let your mind
explore the new possibilities and opportunities that await you. Most
importantly, affirming new thoughts and images to yourself constantly with
conviction and positive emotions, you can saturate your subconscious mind with
the outcomes you want to manifest. Affirmations are the best way to implement
desired changes in your life for your own good and ultimate happiness.
Rules for creating positive affirmations
You can create your own powerful affirmations
following some important rules, which are listed below.
1. Create affirmations using only positive words. Avoid using any negative words such as
"not".
2. Make your
affirmations sound convincing and realistic using descriptive words that portray
your imagination and sensory experience.
2. Keep your affirmations short and specific and easy to remember.
3. Create your affirmations using present tense so that your subconscious
mind will take them literally and manifest them effectively.
4. Include in your affirmations words that convey positive emotions and
powerful feelings to make them more convincing and credible for your
subconscious mind.
5. State your affirmations clearly using the first person only.
Rules for using affirmations effectively
After you create your affirmations. use the following rules to make them
effective.
1. Repeat your affirmations as frequently as possible till they become part
of your subconscious. Go through them at least three times a day,
especially after you wakeup and before you go to bed.
2. Read them aloud if necessary.
3. Practice visualization along with your affirmations. Visualize the end result
clearly and vividly, using your rich imagination and sensory details.
4. Bring out corresponding emotions and feelings each time you repeat your affirmations.
5. Add the power of belief to your affirmations. Believe they are manifested
or being manifested already in your life.
6. End your affirmations with feelings of gratitude to God or your subconscious for
manifesting them.
6. Keep a list of your affirmations with you wherever you go. Write them down
in your journal, or a paper or on index cards. You can also use display them in
your computer for easy reference.
Affirmations help you deal with your negative thoughts and emotions and your
debilitating self-talk that keeps you constantly worried about your abilities
and performance and keep you in a rut. Using affirmations is the easiest and the most powerful way to change your
thinking, habits and behavior. By repeating them everyday you can motivate yourself to
go out of your comfort zone and look for opportunities your were ignoring
before. Notice how your thoughts and feelings are holding you back and preventing you from taking risks or changing your current situation. Counter
them by creating powerful affirmations according to the rules we have
discussed above and use them everyday till they manifest completely in your life.
Remember faith in yourself and your abilities is the key to bringing change and success in your life. It is also vital to stepping out of your comfort
zone and breaking the monotony of your life.
Suggested Further Reading
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