The Trap of Obsessing Over What You Don’t Have

I feel into a dangerous trap recently.

I didn’t physically fall and thankfully there were no traps in sight as I took an afternoon walk.

In this instance the trap was having negative thoughts. To be more specific the danger was focusing on the things I do not have.

I was thinking about a particular topic and my mind instantly jumped to all of the things I don’t currently have. My mind automatically went to a negative place.

While my list of don’t haves may actually be a valid one, thinking of it in such a negative way instantly placed me in a demotivated state. I wasn’t inspired. For that moment, I simply felt inadequate.

Thankfully I quickly recognized my negative thoughts and snapped myself out of it.

Here are 5 tips that can help you stop obsessing over what you don’t have.

Be grateful for what you do have

The minute you start rattling off your I don’t have list, start coming up with a gratitude list to counteract each point.

It is important that you are aware of all of the amazing things you do have in your life.

Keep a gratitude journal or start every day by stating what you are grateful for. Better yet, start and end each day with something you appreciate and value in your life.

Related post – Giving Thanks for Good News; Even When Other Things Aren’t Going Well

Don’t miss opportunities

By focusing on what you don’t currently have, it can be very easy to miss a stunning opportunity that is right in front of you. Through your negative haze you just don’t see true potential.

Don’t let this happen to you. Stay open to possibility.

Related post – Seize Opportunities and Be Quick About It

This isn’t about possessions

If you don’t have list reads something like – I don’t have a Ferrari, a million dollars or a mansion by the beach, you are missing the whole point.

This isn’t about possessions.

Come to think of it, not one thing on my negative list yesterday actually was a possession. Most of it didn’t involve money. Granted some of my items included achieving my goals which would result in making money but the list wasn’t laser focused on the money itself.

It was much more based around how I was feeling about myself and my goals at the time.

Related post – Know Your Own Worth

Figure out what you want

Because I was being negative in that particular moment, my thoughts may not truly reflect what I actually want.

Let’s face it often we latch onto a negative thought and go to town with it. Sometimes we are simply being hard on ourselves. Other times we let our minds wander (the problem being they tend to wander off in a destructive direction).

There was one item on my list that stood out. To be honest, it has been bugging me for a long time.  It is a goal I have not completed.  If you have an honest look at your negative thoughts, many will probably come from tasks you have not completed or perhaps haven’t even started yet.

These incomplete goals will weigh on your mind until you do something about them.

Related post – When Do You Let Your Mind Wander?

Turn your don’t have list into inspiration

In a nutshell, this is about quitting your bitching and taking action.

I have already taken action on the number one issue on my list. I took the first step however I am a long way from completion. With this in mind, I need to guide this project over the finish line.  Only then will this negative thought drop off my radar and turn from a negative into a positive.

The key is focusing on all of the wonderful gifts you do have and making the most of them to help you work through the truly important items on your don’t have list.

Related post – Are you ready to take action?

Do you find yourself focusing more on what you don’t have rather than the bounty of great things you do have in your life?

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