Would you be surprised to know that your success is completely up to you? We often blame a lack of what we want on outside sources, but a lack of success is because we are often getting in our way, but if we follow a few strategies we can make some positive changes in our lives. Here are a few things you can do to move towards your happiness.

Change your thinking

Do you find yourself finding all the reasons why you haven’t achieved all your goals instead of believing it is possible? Do you use excuses like I don’t have the money, intelligence, contacts, or know how to make it work? Instead of finding the reasons why your dreams will never work start seeing the possibilities. Imagine having the life you have always imagined. What does that life look like? What would you have to change to make it happen? Make a plan and start kicking through some barriers.

I always tell my students that their thinking will change everything. If you think you can, you will if you think you will fail you will. A journalist was interviewing the famous French football player Killian Mbappe. He asked him if he ever worried about making a shot. Killian said he couldn’t allow himself to think that way. He always approached the goal telling himself he would make it.

Every time you imagine the barriers to your dreams, you change your thoughts to imagine yourself achieving your goals.

Control the voices

The voices in your head are even more dangerous than the other voices you hear because we are our own worst critics. Do you listen to yourself expecting to fail? Do you call yourself an idiot or say things like, “I don’t know why I thought I could do that, or I always mess things up.” Start to talk to yourself like you talk to your best friend. Be kind and supportive of yourself. When the negative voices sneak in kick them to the curb and replace them with positive statements.

Handle haters

Haters are pot stirrers. They want to create drama and tear you down. Don’t even engage with them. As a writer, I open myself to criticism every time I publish a piece. Negativity used to bother me until I wrote an article about Christmas lights and the comments ranged from racial slurs to political rants. I let my daughters read them and they both looked at me and said, “This was about Christmas lights?” After that, I didn’t pay too much attention to negative comments.

Believe

Since I fell in love with ultra-marathons I have been trying to reach the 50-mile mark. I asked my ultra mentor for advice. He gave me three pages of information to use at my next race and the end he said, “The most important piece of advice I can give you is to believe you can do it.” I know he is right because the mental strength for a challenge is even more important than preparing yourself physically. Use visualization to see yourself achieving your goals. Athletes use this technique all the time. Convince yourself that you are capable and see what happens.

Know you are worthy

Have you ever thought that you might not deserve something better? That is balderdash! You deserve happiness through achieving your goals. If you need help believing it make a list of your accomplishments and strengths.

Ask questions

Find an expert that can help you with your goals. Ask all the questions you can think of and watch the experts at work. See how they do well at what you want to achieve.

Keep growing and learning

Never feel as if you have arrived. There is always something new to learn and improvements you can make.

Use the energy around you

Everything has energy. Use nature’s energy to restore yours by feeling calm and peaceful. Always take the time to recharge.