291: Mastering Your Mind: How Thoughts Shape
Your Life

July 29

Your thoughts create your feelings.

For women with ADHD, negative thoughts and emotions can be particularly challenging. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for personal growth and mental mastery. By recognizing that our emotions stem from our thoughts, we can better manage our actions and achieve our goals. Mindfulness plays a crucial role in this process, improving attention, enhancing emotional regulation, and reducing anxiety.

Visualization is a powerful tool in this journey. By imagining positive outcomes with strong emotional investment, we can boost motivation and build confidence. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) in our brain plays a key role here, helping us focus on opportunities that align with our clearly set, positive intentions.

It's important to remember that while we can't control external circumstances, other people's actions, or our past, we have full control over our thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment. This internal locus of control is where our power lies.

The dialogue we have with ourselves - our inner narrative - is crucial. By consciously shaping our thoughts, we can influence our emotions, behaviors, and ultimately, the results we achieve in life.


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Quotes:

"My thoughts are creating these emotions and feelings of fear, regardless of whether there is actually anything to fear or not. Our thoughts control our feelings."
- Tracy Otsuka

"Our feelings drive all of our actions because every action in our lives stems from a feeling, and every feeling originates from a thought we have. "
- Tracy Otsuka

"When you start observing your thinking, you suddenly realize that your brain can be unruly and has been completely unsupervised. You would never allow someone else to talk to you the way you've allowed your unsupervised brain to talk to you."
- Tracy Otsuka


"Practicing gratitude shifts your focus from what's wrong to what's right in your life."
- Tracy Otsuka



[0:00 - 14:56] Mastering Your Mind: How Thoughts Shape Your Emotions and Actions
  • Tracy Otsuka discusses the power of positive thinking for ADHD brains.
  • The dangers of ruminating on uncertain future outcomes and the importance of seeing life as a journey with potential lessons.
  • Tracy explains how thoughts control emotions and fear, despite external circumstances.

[14:56 - 27:29] Managing Negative Reviews and Focusing on Positive Emotions
  • Tracy stops reading negative comments on Reddit and Goodreads to focus on positive work aligning with her values and purpose.
  • She redirects her emotional response to negative comments by taking a pause, breathing, and observing her feelings.
  • Tracy shares her perspective on ADHD, emphasizing the importance of focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses.

[27:29 - 42:12] ADHD Strengths, Positive Emotions, and Goal Achievement
  • Tracy explains the science behind visualization, highlighting its ability to rewire the brain for success and build confidence.
  • Visualization with positive emotions creates a positive feedback loop, motivating individuals to work towards their goals.
  • Tracy discusses her pet project Blends, a year-long audio coaching program for ADHD women.

Resources:


Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.


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EPISODE #291

Hi, I'm Tracy

I teach Smart Ass ADHD women how to use their brilliant brains to build the life they want by embracing their too-muchness and focusing on their strengths.