I trained six days a week for an athletic event last summer, and am noticing that managing my mental fitness is just as difficult as my physical output. Negative thoughts often interrupt my workouts, such as “You are not strong enough to accomplish this event.” I notice that putting any weight on my negative thoughts instantly decreases my energy and motivation. Research shows that up to 80% of our thoughts are negative. Our negativity bias dates to the beginning of our existence when we lived in constant survival mode. And we can rewire our brain to be more positive. How? First, acknowledge the negative thoughts that are coming up. Say to yourself, “There is that negativity showing up again.” Second, reframe your negative thought to a positive one, such as “My difficult training sessions are preparing me for my upcoming athletic event.” Third, bring a sense of awareness to your reframing, such as “Replacing my negative thoughts with inspirational thoughts keeps me in a positive zone and energizes my workouts.” Rewiring our brain takes constant practice. Try this technique with a challenging situation in your life and notice the outcome when you do.
