A study published recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology confirms what many teachers have told their students over the years: act as if you already have the quality you want, and it will happen. The study’s key finding is that “even introverts can act extroverted and become happier by changing their behaviour”.
* The next time you feel worn down or tired, act as if you’ve taken a potion that fills you with energy and allows you to radiate good cheer.
* When you lose patience with someone, act as if you have all the time in the world.
* When you lose patience with yourself, treat yourself the way you’d treat your best friend.
* When overwhelmed with too much work, act as if everything will be fine if you give each task your full attention and do each task in order of priority.
You can probably think of other times when acting “as if” could be useful.
Changing your perspective can turn a difficult situation into one you can handle easily.
Jurgen Wolff is a hypnotherapist, teacher and writer. His Create Your Future weekend workshop takes place in London on April 5-6. More information is available from BstormUK@aol.com
