Do you sometimes wish you had more opportunities in life? If so, it might be time to start paying attention to existing opportunities that you are missing. It’s easy to miss potential opportunities when you’re busy with day-to-day life.
Positive psychologists have shown that people who take opportunities are the people who notice them in the first place. You can change your awareness so that you’re able to catch opportunities when they present themselves.
In my work as a success coach I’ve noticed that women who take opportunities use the principles of positive thinking. If you want to do this there are four key steps you can take to make sure you’re checking out each doorway.
Go on a negativity fast
When negative thoughts pop into your mind deliberately substitute positive statements instead. For example, instead of saying ‘this new house is too expensive for me to afford’ say to yourself, ‘I can afford when I think creatively about how to generate more income’. Other ways to start eliminating negative thinking from your day to day life include paying attention when people compliment you or taking time each day to notice the things that you’re grateful for.
Quitting the negative thinking habit is easier when you look for things that you can feel positive about. Many people find that keeping a gratitude journal helps. To start one, spend five minutes every evening writing down two or three things that you’re grateful for. More practical steps to doing this are outlined in Seize Opportunities in Your Life. Download this free podcast now.
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Turn off your autopilot and change a habit
Your mind is a habit making machine. This is useful because it automates the things you do every day. Unfortunately, it can also hold you back, because it allows you to create bad habits and negative thinking patterns. Ways to shift your habits so that you notice opportunities more often are changing simple daily routines (such as the way you get to work each day), visiting new places, so you are exposed to new ideas or using mindfulness exercises, which focus your attention on the here-and-now.
Seek out new people who aren’t like you
Spending too much time with people who are like you can cause you to get into limited and restricted ways of thinking or behaving. Challenge yourself to meet people who have different ideas to you, or behave in very different ways. Places you could go to meet new people include hobby or interest groups, professional networking functions or self-development workshops. Discover more in my free podcast on Seize Opportunities in Your Life.
The key to meeting new people is to go to places that you wouldn’t normally go. Which leads us to my final tip for opening yourself up to new opportunities.
Do something you’ve always said you’d never do
Often the things we say we’d never do are precisely the things which will open us up to new, expansive ways of being. To expand your horizons by taking on something you would never expect of yourself, here’s the steps you need to take:
- List five or six things that you believe you could or would never do
- Write down the reason you believe each thing is not possible for you
- Identify the challenge that lies behind your rationalisation for each item on your list
Master this skill by listening to the free tips in my Seize Opportunities in Your Life podcast. Or, to really keep yourself on track, try joining a group or taking on one-to-one coaching opportunities. I’d love to talk to you about the ways coaching can help you to notice, maximise and take advantage of the opportunities that are waiting for you in this wonderful corridor we call life. To find out more about my coaching services, download your free starter pack here.
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About the author of this tip sheet
This article is brought to you by professional development expert, Eleanor Shakiba. Eleanor specialises in coaching and training women in high intellect roles – such as academia, IT, engineering, finance and health. Eleanor is qualified in Social Anthropology, Applied Psychology, Adult Education and Neuro Linguistic Programming.