Kill the ANTs! ("Automated Negative Thoughts") Before They Infest Your Brain

Your every thought matters. It has be proven in research that negative thoughts have a tendency to create inflation in areas of the brain often related to anxiety and depression
. Whereas a positive thoughts have an overall calming effects on the the brain.

These negative thought are referred to as by Dr. Amen as "Automated Negative Thoughts". These ANTs are automatic, and they just happen, and if you don't pay attention to them they can ruin your day or even your life. One clear example of an ANT is you quitting your business because you think "it's not possible to make a living working from home" This type of thought happens when you are not attaining the results you are working for.

As per Dr. Amen, there are 4 ANT species.

1. Mind Reading - this is when you try to predict that another person is is thinking something negative about you without them even telling you. Just because someone looked at you in a weird way doesn't necessarily mean mean they are thinking negative about you, for all you know they may be constipated! Don't try to read peoples mind, it's impossible. It'll save you a huge head ache.

2. Fortune Telling - This is when you attempt to predict a bad outcome of specific situation before it has even happened. For example "no one is going to like my new marketing video". By doing so you are unconsciously predicting failure which in essence will cause you to fail. This will cause you perhaps not to create another marketing video for your business and you quit and never live the life you were dreaming about.

3. Always or Never Thinking - This where you actively think in absolutes like "always, never, every time or every one" By you thinking this way you are overgeneralizing and this can alter your behavior. For example : No one responded to your email marketing campaign, and you say to yourself "i'll NEVER" send out another email. This ANT will prevent you from sending any future emails campaigns which will cause your business to suffer, you quitting and never attaining your goals that you set out for yourself.

4. Guilt Beatings - This is when your brain overruns you with thoughts like "I should of.... I'm bad because.....I must do better" These type of guilt has a powerful affect at making you feel bad. It's a lousy motivator of behavior. For example : Just because people in your organization aren't having the same results as you does not mean you're doing something wrong, therefore you shouldn't make yourself feel guilty for their lack of success. There could be MANY other reasons, why blame yourself?

Your brain will always have ANTs, but the secret is that you do not have to believe every thought in your head. It's very important to be able to identify if the current thought is damaging or beneficial to you. If you never "challenge" your thoughts you simply tend to "believe them" as if they were true.

ANTs can take over and infest your brain. Develop an internal anteater to hunt down and devour the negative thoughts that are ruining your life.

Being able to identify these thoughts will help you choose to think better and positive thoughts which will make you feel AMAZING or you can choose to let the negative thoughts infest your brain and feel LOUSY. It's really up to you! When you think a negative thought without challenging it, your mind believes it and your brain reacts to it!