Get Into Your Head

It’s often said, “Get out of your head”. What comes to mind when you think of this saying? Do you automatically go to a place of stress, anxiety or failure like I do? Everytime I hear this phrase I think about the reasons we say that to people. I remember having it uttered to me on the playing field after I’d recently made a mistake and allowed it to consume me for the next few plays. Or when I’ve gotten so stressed out over all of the things on my agenda, I can’t think straight anymore, I’ve heard myself whisper this phrase. Or when I’ve thought I was not good enough or not capable of something, insecurity surmounted and I relied on my dearest friends to remind me I could, and that I was able, especially on that last rep in the gym. 

In reality, when we tell ourselves “get out of your head”, or have our friends say this to us, we and they are really asking us to remove the negative thought, decision or failure from our mind. We’re actually pleading for this to happen as we know we’ll be more successful and more fulfilled, when we push past the negativity and mistakes of our lives. 

So I ask you, what do you fill yourself with, then? I mean, if you’re going to remove all of these thoughts and memories, you have to fill the space back up, don’t you? If not, you will leave room for those ideas to come flooding back in the next time something unwarranted occurs in your life. 

Maybe, instead of “getting out of your head”, you should “get into your head”. Perhaps you should be filling yourself with more good than bad, more encouraging than discouraging self talk, more excitement over the progress you’re making and less stress on the setbacks. When you begin to talk positively over yourself, you eliminate any room for the negative to maintain a hold within your heart and mind. You begin to build greater self-confidence and self-awareness of what you are good at and what you are passionate about. You begin to build perseverance through each positive step you make. Every time you encourage yourself through a discouraging moment, you build strength, you build endurance, you build grit. 

As you talk yourself through difficult moments with the power within you, you no longer give power to the stronghold trying to bring you down. You are no longer playing this entire game of life on defense, you’ve made the huge shift to offense! You see, when the negative thoughts or experiences come, they set you into defensive mode. A place you can cower or you can fight. The battle starts and ends in our minds and in our hearts. The decision to battle back, to recognize the truths about who you are and what you are capable of is the steal of the game. This decision, this recognition brings you back to that offensive position where you can continue to walk forth boldly in your life.

Living from a place of mental offense allows you to put more focus on the tasks at hand without the distraction of a past mistake. In turn, you will become more efficient and effective, more capable and more powerful in the roles you play. When you learn to get into your own head, to say “I will” instead of “I can’t” or “I’m awesome” instead of “I suck” or I’m good” instead of “I’m bad”, you’ll find yourself living a whole different life. You’ll find yourself confident in success not wallowing in failure. You’ll find yourself persevering instead of giving up. You’ll find yourself happier instead of depressed. One day, you’ll even find yourself smiling amidst a hard moment knowing you are capable and able to get to the other side. You will understand that this struggle, this discouragement you’re facing is only temporary and a point which can no longer break you but can be used instead for your own self growth and empowerment. You’ll be able to look back and instead of saying “I wish I would have done…” You’ll be saying, “Look at everything I’ve accomplished! Every fear I overcame, every doubt I ever had, every setback that I faced, I overcame.” 

The power to become an overcomer, a triumphant one, a victorious, fearless leader, lies within you. So get in your head, tell yourself something good and keep going. There is no longer room for insecurity, past mistakes or discouragement to reign over your life. YOU reign over your life. YOU decide what you believe and what you spend your energy on. Put more energy into what brings life to you, what brings strength to you and what brings joy to you. Encourage yourself, fuel yourself with positive thoughts and positive energy and go slay!