Count Your Blessings - The Power of Positive Thinking

by Debi Livingston-Boushey BCH, CI

I remember being told as a child to count my blessings, but the suggestion always had a negative connotation to it; "There are starving people in Africa, you'd better count your blessings you have food to eat every day...you better count your blessings I didn't ground you for a week after what you just did." This one always got me; "Your father will be home from work soon and you'd better count your blessings that he'll be in a good mood. So for me, counting my blessings was nothing more than pleading to God that some horrific catastrophe wouldn't strike our lives! This is NOT what this article is about.

There is indeed a very positive and very powerful phenomenon that happens when you start to count your blessings; you begin to feel better about yourself and your life - really! To bless means to energize. When you count your blessings you are focusing your mind on all the positive aspects you have in the moment and energizing them, rather than energize all the negative stuff going wrong. Whatever type of thought you think releases a specific physiological response throughout your body. People who suffer from depression are known to lack a "normal" amount of seratonin in their brain. This is the "feel good" chemical naturally produced in the body. When you think positive thoughts, which is what you are doing when you are putting your attention on all the good things you have going for you, your brain is releasing the corresponding chemical resulting in the overall feeling of peace and well being.

Go ahead and try this right now. Think about something that makes you mad or unhappy and frown while doing so. Notice what you feel. Now think about something that makes you happy and smile at the same time.
Notice the difference?

But Debi, I just don't have anything in my life to bless. Oh really? You're reading this article right now. Bless your healthy eyes! Bless your ability to know how to read! Start by blessing your physical body and work your way out from there. Do you have a roof over your head? Food to eat? Maybe it's not the home of your dreams right now, but it's a start.

I also know it's easy to say think positive thoughts when the pattern has been to allow the negative self-talk to take dominion over our minds. And, faced with monthly bills, health issues or a broken relationship it can be difficult to consistently find something for which you are thankful. This is where utilizing hypnosis plays a powerful role in creating a healthy new mind-set filled with positive thoughts every day!

All habits, including the habit of negative or positive thinking, is created in the subconscious mind. Think of an old fashioned record where the needle goes around and around in a groove. This is like the pattern of thoughts we entertain. If you have a long running habit of negative self-talk, then attempt to think one positive thought, the needle will bounce right back into the groove which has been energized over and over again. However, you can go into your subconscious mind and from that state, think positive thoughts, and they will be accepted! You will soon create a new habit of healthy thinking.

Still have doubt? This is an exercise I love to do with my clients. Your subconscious mind has all the memory of every experience you've ever had, good or bad. Within these experience memories are the emotional feelings attached to the situation. When my client is in trance I have their subconscious mind bring them back to a happy day in their childhood. It is as if they are right there, re-experiencing the day all over again. The feeling of childlike, carefree happiness is very strong. Now we can take that feeling and bring it into the present moment, while they are focusing on the positive aspects of their life. The results are powerful; they are focusing on the present, while feeling a real emotion of happiness. They have created a new imprint which helps them become successful in counting their blessing and thinking positive, prosperous thoughts every day.

Begin right now. Take a moment and start counting your blessings for everything positive in your life. Do this every day and in a very short amount of time, you will notice a vast difference in how you feel about yourself and the world around you. The right use of your mind is the key to healthy, happy, prosperous, successful living.

Debi Livingston-Boushey, BCH, CI

Debi is a Board Certified Hypnotist and Advanced Instructor with the NGH. She is Director and Principle Instructor at the ISHI School of Hypnosis Training in Berkeley, CA. where she has been teaching people how to utilize the Law of Attraction for over 26 years.