I’m going to be transparent here… Ants are not my favorite creatures on earth. However, I do find them rather interesting as far as insects go.
Ants (along with bees and termites) are considered to be “social” insects. Which basically means that they organize and do what needs to be done for the good of the colony. No running solo, being your own boss, or hoarding the food supply for the worker ant.
Did you also know that ants can lift 20X their own body weight? Ants are strong! (I think I need to challenge myself a bit more in my lifting routine…)
Also, an average ant colony will have between 100,000-500,000 workers. Ants are great in number.
However you feel about Ants, their very presence can be a useful analogy for a different kind of ANT that we all have… Automatic Negative Thoughts.
ANTS are ORGANIZED
Our brain organizes and produces Automatic Negative Thoughts.
ANTS are STRONG
Our Automatic Negative Thoughts have become strong habits with potentially strong emotional responses.
ANTS are GREAT IN NUMBER
We can often have up to 60,000 thoughts in a day with up to 85% of those thoughts being negative.
The key word for these negative thoughts is that they are automatic. We most often aren’t consciously aware of them coming into and out of our thought processes. We just know that all of a sudden we may feel a bit sad, angry, or disappointed with ourselves or a situation.
Discover your ANTS
Awareness of the Automatic Negative Thoughts is the first step towards changing your thought pattern.
Try this simple exercise a few different times this week:
Any time that you are aware of a negative emotion that you are feeling, (sad, irritated, angry, disappointed) key into what came into to your mind to trigger that emotion. Write your Automatic Negative Thoughts down. At the end of the week, look over your list for any recurring Automatic Negative Thoughts. Identifying a recurring pattern in your thoughts will be a good place to start the change.
Then….
Challenge your ANTS
Our Automatic Negative Thoughts are rarely rational or based in facts. Now that you have become more aware of your Automatic Negative Thoughts, challenging them with questions is a useful strategy to make a positive change.
Here are a few challenge questions for you to use, courtesy of PositivePsychology.com:
1. Is there another way to view this situation or person? Are there any facts to back up an alternative explanation?
2. Is there any proof that my ANT is correct?
3. If my ANT is in fact true, what would be the worst that could happen?
How might I deal with things if that happened?
4. What outcomes might I expect if I believe in my ANT without challenging it?
Replacing your ANTS with more positive thoughts can be a key component for you to step out and achieve your (small or big) goals.
Discover your ANTS, Challenge your ANTS and move closer to successes you want for your life!
Curious to find out if coaching is right for you? Contact Carol for a complimentary 20-minute session.
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