Reflect on How Far You’ve Come

I hope you’ve enjoyed our exploration of positive and creative thinking. More importantly, I hope you’ve taken the advice, tips, ideas, and strategies I’ve shared with you to heart and put them to good use. If you did, you should start to see some real change already. The good news is that it will continue to get better, more fun, and more creative, the more you practice what you’ve learned.

Let’s take a quick walk down memory lane and browse through all the different topics we covered over the past 29 days. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve covered.

  1. 30 Days of Positive and Creative Thinking
  2. The Power of Positive Thinking
  3. How Negative Thoughts Slow You Down
  4. How to Turn Negative Thoughts Positive
  5. What is Creative Thinking?
  6. Sometimes All it Takes is Time
  7. The Power of Combining Minds
  8. Affirmations Can Help You Stay on Track
  9. Creative Thinking Starts by Looking at the Problem from a Different Angle
  10. How Journaling Can Help You Cultivate Positive Thinking Habits
  11. Cultivating a Creative and Positive Thinking Climate Around You
  12. The Power of Open Ended Questions and Discussion
  13. Having Fun Helps Cultivate Positive and Creative Thinking
  14. Surround Yourself With Inspiration
  15. Never Stop Learning: It Keeps Your Mind Sharp
  16. Keep Your Eyes Open: Creative Solutions are Everywhere
  17. Your Brain is a Muscle: Work It Out
  18. Words to Watch Out For
  19. Time to Lose the Guilt
  20. The Power of Brainstorming
  21. Taking Risks Sparks Creativity
  22. Challenge Yourself to Say Yes More
  23. Kick Start Creative Thinking By Suspending Limits
  24. Dealing With Setbacks in a Positive Way
  25. Reading About Creative and Positive Thinkers is Inspirational
  26. A Mind at Rest Will Surprise You With Creative Solutions
  27. Don’t Let Critics and Nay-Sayers Get To You
  28. How to Get Out of a Funk and Back yo Your Positive, Sparkling Self
  29. Playing and Hobbies Aren’t a Waste of Time

What has had the biggest impact on you? What tips and ideas have you found the most helpful? Those are the posts that you want to come back to again and again.

Take a few minutes today to reflect on not only how far you’ve come, but more importantly how this simple 30 day challenge has influenced you and changed you for the better. What positive experiences have you had as a result of working towards creative and positive thinking? Real change takes time, but at the very least, you should have gotten a glimpse of what’s possible. Keep up the good work going forward, and keep making progress towards more positive and creative thinking.

Playing and Hobbies Aren’t a Waste of Time

We know that playing is good for young children. We encourage them play, solve fun puzzles, and use their imagination. It’s an important part of growing up and learning to think for themselves. It’s also a great way to encourage creative thinking. The good news is that kids aren’t the only ones who will benefit from playing and spending time on hobbies. There’s no cut-off date when we no longer benefit from those leisurely pursuits.

Society tries to tell us that taking out time to play, craft, play a sport, learn a language, play an instrument, and other ways of having fun with others is a waste of time for adults. As it turns out, society is wrong. Taking the time to have fun and doing something completely different from what you do for a living is very beneficial.

We’ve talked at length how creative thinking works and how we need lots of different ideas and experiences to give our minds something to work with. It turns out that playing is the perfect way to do that. Those hobbies you have may be very different from your day job and that’s a good thing. They give you more data and help your brain come up with creative ideas by making connections between seemingly unrelated things.

To get better at creative thinking, make time for hobbies and play. Come back to some things you enjoyed before you decided you didn’t have time for hobbies anymore. Try something new and see if you like it. Find some enjoyable things to do in your spare time. This will be time much better spent than catching up on work after hours or flopping down in front of the TV.

Don’t pick a hobby because it seems particularly enriching. Pick something that seems like fun. Take the pressure off yourself. Think back to our earlier post about giving the mind a rest. A hobby or even spending a couple of hours playing a video game or goofing off with the kids isn’t a waste of time. It’s a great way to give your mind a rest and create some very different syntactical connections in your brain.

The fact that you’re having fun and relaxing is an added bonus. That will help with you attitude and positivity. In the end, you’ll come back to work the next day in a much better frame of mind, more rested, and with a mind bursting full of creative ideas. Try and it and see for yourself. Most importantly make the time to go out and play. Pick up those favorite hobbies again, and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Essential Oil: Joy™

Joy™ essential oil is a blend of Young Living’s most inviting oils, formulated to invite a sense of romance, bliss, and warmth when diffused. With Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Jasmine, Palmarosa, and Rose essential oil, Joy oil has a fresh, floral aroma with notes of citrus from the essential oils of Bergamot, Lemon, and Tangerine.

Joy essential oil blend is perfect for diffusing or applying topically. Members’ favorite Joy oil uses include diffusing it around the home for a pleasant, joyful aroma. Apply Joy essential oil blend topically and wear it as a fragrance to invite togetherness. You can also find Joy oil in Young Living’s popular Everyday Oils™ essential oil collection.

How to Get Out of a Funk and Back to Your Positive, Sparkling Self

I’m back today with another quick actionable tip to help you stop those negative thoughts and focus on positive thinking instead. I get it; it’s not always easy. Sometimes you get into a funk, you’re having a bad day, or you’re just not feeling in the most chipper mood. It happens to all of us. Sometimes the sun is shining, and sometimes it rains.

Feeling a little down for a day isn’t a huge problem, but it also isn’t fun. It can put a damper on your positive and creative thinking. Stop wallowing in self-pity and let’s get you out of that funk and back to your positive, sparkling self. There’s a lot you can do to turn that frown upside down and lift your mood.

Give Me A Big Smile

The simplest and most effective thing you can do when you’re feeling down or are in a funk is to smile. Go ahead and fake it, but give me a big, huge smile. I promise after a minute or two of grinning like a fool you’ll start to feel better.

If you’re feeling adventurous, laugh out loud. Stay aware of your mood and your facial expression, and make it a point to smile more throughout the day. It won’t be long before you start to smile for real.

Brighten Up

Bright colors and light help a lot. Pick a pretty and colorful outfit. Go take a shower, wash your hair, and make yourself look good. Put on your favorite outfit, put on some lipstick, and fix your hair. Taking care of yourself and making yourself look good does a lot for your self-esteem. This in turn will greatly help with your mood.

Open the blinds, let in some light, or turn on a few lamps. Brighten and color the world around you. Get out some colorful throws and pillows. Go buy an inspirational poster or an image that speaks to you and puts you in a good mood and hang it up. Change the space around you and do what you can to have your surroundings inspire you to positivity and creativity.

Just Take Those Old Records Off the Shelf

Scents and sounds also influence our mood and thoughts. Put on some essential oil that you enjoy; fire up your favorite oil in your diffuser; or bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Make your home or office smell good. If you can find a scent that you associate with a happy and positive memory, this works even better.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that some good, upbeat music is a great mood lifter. Create a positive play list and crank up some tunes whenever you find yourself in a funk. Close the door and dance around for a few minutes for a quick mood fix.

Essential Oil: Fun™

Fun is a very unique category to you. It is whatever activity or hobby you are personally passionate about. If you don’t have time for fun, then you need more fun in your life!

The INFUSED Fun™ Inspired by Oola essential oil blend has been specially formulated to help promote uplifting, revitalizing, and euphoric emotions. This blend’s fragrant aroma boosts self-confidence to impart a positive outlook that can enhance the pleasure of pursuing the joys of life.

Fun affirmation: I am pursuing the joys of life.

Don’t Let Critics and Nay-Sayers Get to You

I hope by now you’re cruising along working on those positive thoughts and becoming a more positive and creative person overall. I’m sure you’re getting lots of encouragement and support from the people around you, and you’re well on your way towards reaching your various goals in life. You’re grabbing life by the horns and having a great time.

There’s something I need to prepare you for, and that’s critics and nay-sayers. They are all around us, and they love to bring us down. It can be a bit of a challenge to keep up your positive thinking and good attitude when someone else is actively trying to tear you down.

The most important thing you need to realize when you encounter these critics is that more often than not, it isn’t really about you. It’s more about them, their insecurities, and their resistance to change. Positive thinking is a good change and a big improvement to you, but it’s a problem for them. By watching you make those changes and share your positive thoughts and energy, you’re simply making them look bad.

When comparing themselves to you, they fall short. It’s easier to lash out and criticize you, than to step up and embrace positivity for themselves. The easy way out is to stop you. But you’re not going to let that happen, are you?

The first step is to realize and remind yourself of the fact that this isn’t about you as much as it is about them. For example, if you’re taking steps to change the culture of your workplace and make it an environment that fosters positive and creative thinking, you may be met with some resistance. You may find people on your team or even above you, resist and even ridicule the idea. Remember that it’s about resisting change on their part and not really about you.

Don’t empower these nay-sayers. Don’t let what they say bother you. Keep doing your thing and prove to them through actions and results that they are wrong. Don’t get into arguments. Nod, smile, and keep doing what you’re doing.

Find a cheerleader that you can turn to for encouragement and advice on those days when it’s hard to tune out the critics and nay-sayers. Tip the scales back in your favor and feel good about what you’re doing by getting support and encouragement. Grab your journal and prove to yourself how far you’ve come and how much you’ve changed for the better. Do whatever you need to do to get over the harsh words, and get back to what you were doing.

In the worst case scenario, it may be time to cut your worst critics out of your life. It isn’t always possible; it isn’t easy, but sometimes, it’s your best option. You may not be able to completely cut out your co-worker or a fellow department head, but you can limit your contact with them and do what you can to stay out of their toxic circle of influence.

A big part of positive thinking is taking ownership of your thoughts and actions. Don’t give that away. Keep control and don’t let those negative people bring you down. I promise it gets easier with practice.

Essential Oil: Awaken™

Awaken™ is a blend of five other blends. Expertly formulated to help you become aware of limitless potential when used aromatically, Awaken is the first step toward making positive life changes. Diffuse it up to one hour 3 times daily. Oils contained in this blend of blends include: Coconut, Almond, Furanocoumarin-free bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Sesame, Geranium, Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood , Neroli, Tangerine, Lemon, Coriander, Black Pepper, Frankincense, Melissa, Lavender, Jasmine, Roman chamomile, Lemongrass, Hyssop, Helichrysum, Blue Cypress, Davana, Lime, Rose, German Chamomile, Blue Tansy, Ocotea, Grapefruit, Spearmint.

A Mind at Rest Will Surprise You with Creative Solutions

Thinking is hard work. If you’ve ever been stuck on a big problem or had to work through taxing meeting after meeting where you had to be at the top of your game, you know what I’m talking about. Heck, just think back on how exhausted you were after final exams at school. Thinking is hard work.

While there’s a lot you can accomplish with effort when it comes to thinking, sometimes taking a break and getting some rest is your best bet. This is particularly true when you’re feeling stuck. Our mind is an interesting creation. It works on two different levels, the conscious and the subconscious.

Much of our day to day thinking is on the conscious level. You decide what you want for breakfast, and you think about watching a movie before going to bed. You think at work, at home, and everywhere in between. These are the thoughts you’re aware of.

Then there are subconscious thoughts. Think of them as background processes that go on while you’re thinking and working on other stuff. You’re not aware of them, and frankly, the only time they make it into your conscious is when ideas pop up.

I’m sure this has happened to you before. You’re busy cooking dinner and the perfect way to phrase an offer to a new client pops into your head. Or how about this? You’re about to drift off to sleep, and the perfect solution for your living room organization problem pops into your head. These are subconscious thoughts making it to the surface.

This is why giving your mind some rest by going out for a walk, getting some extra sleep, or putting around the house or yard can be some time well spent. When you’re feeling stuck, stop thinking about the perfect answer or solution. Go do something else, ideally something that doesn’t involve a lot of hard thinking. This frees up space for your subconscious to go to work. And it will surprise you with the creative and out-of-the-box ideas it can come up with. All you have to do is give it space to work, and then listen when the solution presents itself.

Ready to give it a try? Slow down your thinking and start moving. Get some air and stop trying to force the solution. Walk away and let your subconscious get to work. Go play with your kids, hang out with your spouse, meet your friends at the bar and just give your mind a rest. It’s one of the best things to do when you’re stuck. You may not be actively working on it, but trust me, your subconscious is working all the harder for it.

Essential Oil: Cool Azul™

Cool Azul™ is a proprietary essential oil blend created by D. Gary Young that includes the light aroma of Dorado Azul and the warm fragrance of Plectranthus Oregano (both Young Living exclusive oils), along with Peppermint, Wintergreen, Sage, Copaiba, Blue Cypress, Elemi, and other oils. Apply this blend topically for a cool sensation and aromatic experience. Cool Azul is ideal for use before, during, and after physical activities. Attach an AromaGlide™ roller fitment to the bottle and pack it in your gym bag, purse, or backpack for quick and easy on-the-go use.