A quick correction to my earlier story about…ANTs: it’s Always Negative Thinking (not Thoughts).
It’s amazing how much I have learned about ANTs, and also quite amazing how much I’ve become aware of how infested my thinking has been! I refer to my negative thinking as “ANT Matilda”. She has a terrible habit of shouting!!! I had begun learning how to talk back to ANT Matilda, but I felt there had to be a better way to shut her down. So, needless to say, when several articles about getting rid of ANTs came to my attention over the last four months, they peaked my interest.
Also, incredibly enough, I continued to battle with the REAL 6-legged creatures…ants do have 6 legs, right???…throughout the summer! As I sat working on my computer, I noticed a steady stream of small black ants wandering along the window seal next to my desk. At first, I shooed the little creatures along their way and back through the slender crevices in the window that allow their entrance. After a while, however, I began to SMASH them! What a nuisance!!!
Around the same time, I was continuing to listen to Dr. Amen, “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” as he lectured on how to “KILL the ANTs (Always Negative Thinking)” by talking back to the ANTs. I used his technique with one of my coaching clients with great success! She, too, was becoming quite adept at talking back to her “ANT Peggy” and gaining confidence listening to her PETs…Positive Energizing Thoughts…more on PETs that later!
Dr. Amen suggests that by identifying the TYPE of ANT and defying the negative thought with positive affirmations, we actually can change the chemical pathways in the brain and STOP the ANTs from traversing their usual terrorizing trails. Recognizing that the ANTs do not tell the truth, we can actually ERASE the old negative pathways by CLEANSING them with TRUTH! How about that!!!
The light went on and the great AHA! arose…that might work for my little 6-legged creatures, too!! So, off to the laundry room I scampered and donned a few drops of laundry detergent, a cap of water and an eyedropper. As the little buggers scurried across the window seal, I dabbed them with a drop of detergent water. Dead in their tracks! Every time!!! So, using the dropper, I poured a small amount of the cleanser into the window track and along the edge of the window seal. A couple days of doing that diligently, and VOILE’! It was like magic!! NO MORE ANTS! I had erased their trail and nothing but sunshine was now streaming through that window!
As for my own “ANT Matilda”, I began to use the “detergent” of AFFIRMATIONS. As Dr. Amen directed, I began to WRITE DOWN the negative thought, the TYPE of ANT (following his instructions) that that negative thought was, and THE TRUTH…the AFFIRMATION that effectively KILLED THE ANT and erased the pathway.
It has taken more than just a couple of days, but I am becoming much more acute at recognizing the ANTs in my life, naming them for what they are, and talking back to them to shut them down. More importantly, I am gratefully gaining PETs which strengthen my confidence and self esteem, heal my relationships and give me PEACE OF MIND!!
The Kindred Coach 