I have a bad habit of complaining. That's not easy for me to say considering I'd like to think of myself as a positive person. But I've started to realize that every time I mention a part of my life that I'm not 100 percent pleased with, I have some ugly things to say. If a friend asks, "How's work going" I roll my eyes, begin with a "child…" and deliver a laundry list of issues with my current workplace. As a matter of fact, I'm self-deprecating in many areas of my life, and even a bit ungrateful. Self-reflection is an amazing and scary thing. It forces you to take a good, long look at yourself and be uncomfortably honest about how you're getting in your own way. I've noticed that my pessimistic thoughts and Debbie-downer attitude may be preventing me from reaching my goals.

The law of attraction is very real, and if I continue to speak disappointment and uncertainty over my life, of course I'm bound to find it at every turn. I personally think that God, the universe or whomever you serve won't even allow for greater opportunities to enter our lives until we develop an attitude of gratitude. Think of it this way: If you complained about every gift a family member or friend gave you, who would ever bother buying you anything again? Sometimes, we let our mouths and our minds block our blessings. If you struggle with pessimism like me, here are a few ways to change your thinking.

Stop Self-Deprecating

A lot of us tend to do this to give off an air of humility, but it comes off as insecurity. Maybe you really are insecure about the very thing someone just complimented you on, so instead of using positive feedback to change your perception of yourself you'll twist it to further your negative self-image. Sis, stop it! You've got to learn how to stand in your power. If someone believes in you and tells you how great you are, believe them. Maybe you don't see yourself as someone else does, but never let someone think they're wrong for seeing your potential.

Manifest Your Best Life

We all have things about our lives we'd like to change. Maybe you don't have the career you want, your finances are a little shaky or it seems like you're perpetually single. It can be very hard to see the light at the end of a tunnel you've been stuck in for so long. That's where manifestation can help. If you have a vision of what you want your life to look like, write it down. Include every detail so that you know exactly what you're working towards, and develop a plan to bring it to fruition. Vision boards and journals are perfect for creating the vision and adjusting it when necessary.

Speak Life Over Yourself

You can literally bring about the changes you want to see in your life through the power of simple words. My therapist explained to me that our brains are like computers. Through our lifetimes, we've downloaded thought processes and habits that affect what we think about ourselves. It's up to us to reprogram our brains. Whenever you feel those negative thoughts start to creep in, you've got to learn how to reprogram your mind to combat them with positivity. When you feel like ranting about all that's wrong, turn that around and focus on everything that's right. It's something so small that can change your life.

Changing how you see yourself and your circumstances is really hard, and it takes a dedicated effort. But choosing to do so will yield results you can only dream of. Take charge of your destiny and direct positive energy into your life with gratefulness.

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AudreyonnaSequale