#111 60K thoughts per day!

According to the National Science Foundation, on average, most of us have around 12k - 60k thoughts per day. 

That’s a lot of thoughts. And did you also know that of those thoughts, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive?

It’s no wonder why some days can be challenging to power through when over 80% of your brain tells you you are not enough. It’s no accident that feeling lonely, tired, helpless, or uninspired creeps into your head space. 

Learning to reframe that narrative is something I have spent a lot of time working on. And there are days when I am not super successful. Recently a client reached out to me when she was experiencing this and she said, “I am unmotivated, exhausted, and questioning my purpose.” 

My response to her was, “you’re human, not a machine. Lean into that, but don’t stay there too long.”

As a solopreneur and business builder, you forget that. Most days, you are stuck in your space, creating what you are dreaming of, wearing all 7 hats at the boardroom table, and giving up or feeling stuck is a natural, human emotion.

I have spent lots of time, looking for ways to reframe that self-talk and I am not always successful.  And when that happens, I turn the light off in my office, close the door and do something else. Generally, a nice, quiet walk along the beach helps. And when that isn’t possible, I bake or do whatever it takes to eliminate those thoughts.

If this resonates with you and you need a quick pep talk on reframing our negative thoughts, then these three tips are for you.

Tip #1
If you haven’t written down your dreams, wishes, desires, and wants, I suggest you do that. Start with 50. This list should embrace all sides of you (what I call your pillars), including the spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, intellectual, and creative. Pick three things on that list that are not business related. The fun stuff; the hobbies you want to master or a talent you want to learn. Setting time aside each week for the creative will get you out of your head.

Tip #2
Develop some sort of quiet practice. The commitment could be as little as 5-10 minutes per day. Upon waking, my morning ritual consists of 10 rounds of 5-5-5. Inhale for 5, hold for 5, exhale for 5. Followed up with a simple meditation asking myself what I am grateful for. It keeps me present and helps eliminate those thoughts of what I don’t have.

Tip #3

Control your calendar, don’t let it control you. Over the years, I have learned to put myself on the calendar. My system for doing this is “blocking and batching.” It’s an easy way to create a distraction-free zone so I can work on one project at a time. It’s anything from writing podcast episodes and developing digital courses to cleaning out my digital filing cabinet. Whatever it is, it has some sort of end goal to it and I put it on the calendar the same way I would a dentist appointment or a workout.

I am going to challenge you one step further. In Stage 3 of my 5 Stage Framework™, I ask all my clients and students to do this very simple exercise. 

If you are up for it, I want you to send an email to 10 of your besties and ask them to list 3 adjectives that best describe you. Pay attention to the majority and then isolate the top three. 

If there’s anything that can reframe your perspective from the negative to the positive - it’s this exercise. 

If you are interested in grabbing the link to the national science foundation article, hit reply to this email. Happy to share!

See you next time!!

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