©achieve today 1 | p a g e

©Achieve Today 1 | P a g e


Introduction This module will help you to understand better the power of your mind and how gratitude can

help you attract what you desire. It will also help you to understand better the critical role of

monitoring your thoughts and following your inner guidance, i.e., inspiration, insight, and ideas.

Objectives In this module, you will:

• Learn how your conscious and subconscious minds interact • Understand the power of thought habits • Appreciate the power and apply the practice of gratitude

• Discover new methods for practicing gratitude to amplify your attraction power • Learn the art of reframing a perspective

How Your Mind Works

Your Conscious Mind It is essential to understand your conscious and subconscious minds because they both play a

critical role in why we do what we do and determine how easily and quickly we change.

As you are faced with new events and ideas, your conscious mind can accept or reject any notion

that you choose. When thoughts come to you from your surroundings, the conscious mind is the

filter that allows you to select only those ideas and events with which you want to be emotionally

involved. The conscious mind is also where you create your dreams and goals. It is your thinking

mind, your educated mind, and your intellect. It is the mind that bridges the gap between what

you know and what you do.

Throughout your daily life, you’re continually choosing, consciously or unconsciously, the

information that your mind will process and be exposed. The only exception to this is young

childhood. When you’re a child, you do not have the control or the skills, to mentally process or

choose and to what you are exposed. You absorb everything around you—from your family, your

community, and your culture. But, when you’re an adult, you now have a choice over how you

perceive an event or interpret a situation. You now get to choose your response and where to


focus. You even have a choice over your attitude. However, if you’re like most people, you may

not realize that it is a choice.

KEY: Your conscious mind can choose to accept or reject.

But then why would a person accept things they don’t want? Or reject things they do want?

Because somewhere in their subconscious mind is a program that interferes and won’t allow

them to go there.

Your Subconscious Mind If negative messages are continuously bombarding you, you’re likely choosing negative thoughts

and ideas, which are then stored in your subconscious mind. All of this can lead to becoming a

toxic negative person, with negative perspectives and opinions. Conversely, the same is true of

positive messages because the subconscious accepts what you give it. It doesn’t evaluate or judge;

it just accepts. The subconscious mind does not differentiate between what is real and what is

imagined, fact, or fiction.

The subconscious mind is the emotional mind or the feeling mind. The ancient Greeks called

the subconscious mind The Heart of Hearts. Below is a list of characteristics of the subconscious

mind. Understanding these provides information that will empower you to make wiser choices

to create the life you want.

Fifteen Characteristics of the Subconscious Mind:

1. Creates according to the nature of your thoughts; It is the creative mind.

2. It is the seat of your emotions.

3. Works for good and bad ideas alike. It is neutral. It does not engage in proving thoughts

are true or false.

4. It proceeds to bring about results that must necessarily follow because you

consciously assumed it to be true.

5. Your heart is kept functioning automatically, and the vital functions of digestion,

circulation, and breathing are carried on by your subconscious mind through processes

independent of your conscious mind.

6. It perceives by intuition and all your five senses.


7. It is the storehouse of memory.

8. When the conscious mind is in a suspended, sleep, or drowsy state, the

subconscious mind is the intelligence that makes itself known.

9. Everything that has happened to you happened because of thoughts impressed on your

subconscious mind through belief.

10. Repetition with emotion causes acceptance by the subconscious mind.

11. It is the seat of habit.

12. The habitual thinking of your conscious mind establishes deep grooves in your subconscious mind.

13. It is always seeking to take care of you and protect you.

14. It has a mind of its own, but it accepts your pattern of thought and imagery.

15. When you look for the answers to a problem, your subconscious mind will respond, but

it is up to your conscious mind to make an informed judgment and decision.

Keep in mind, if you continually fear and worry about things, then your subconscious will move

you in that negative direction (where attention goes energy flows). Likewise, if you maintain

positive thoughts, then the subconscious mind can move you in a positive direction. Worrying and

focusing on what you don’t want takes just as much mental energy and effort, if not more, than

focusing on what you do want. You will attract people, circumstances, situations, and experiences

based on your dominant emotional energy, or vibrational set-point.

The encouraging message, from understanding how the subconscious mind works, is that you can

monitor your conscious mind; and more importantly, you can teach yourself to increase your

positive results. By cultivating positive thoughts, they can become beliefs. They become beliefs

because, via repetition combined with positive emotion, you are reprogramming your

subconscious mind to believe them, and your beliefs create your reality. The two exercises that follow, demonstrate the power of suggestion to the subconscious mind:

1. Bucket Example:

Hold both arms out in front of you and visualize a bucket full of heavy things on one of

your arms. Continue to imagine holding that heavy bucket up for a minute. Did your

arm go down or did you feel any pain or discomfort? Why? You consciously knew that the scenario was not real, so why did your unconscious

mind respond? The power of suggestion!


2. Think of a Lemon:

Imagine a fresh yellow lemon. Smell it. Vividly visualize slicing it open. Put one of the

slices in your mouth. Taste the juices. Notice that the mouth begins to salivate. But the

lemon was not real! Consciously you know that, but the unconscious mind does not

distinguish between real or imagined.

One final characteristic of the subconscious mind is that it “communicates” in the present tense.

How do we know this? Observe your dreams, which occur in unconscious states. When you

dream, what tense is your dream? Past, present, or future? Dreams take place in the present

tense. So, if your unconscious mind thinks in the present, in what tense should you state your

affirmations and visualize your dreams and goals? The present tense! Everything we do with the

unconscious mind should always be phrased, or framed, in the present.

Thought Habits One way to change limiting beliefs is by rewiring your thought habits. We refer to thought habits as the self-talk that repeats over and over in our head. Negative self-talk can sound like, “I’m not the management type, I couldn’t own my own business,” or “I’m big-boned, so I’ll never be slim,” or “My folks weren’t good with money either, so what can I expect?” Positive self-talk sounds like, “I love myself for who I am,” or “Good things will come to me, as I expect miracles every day,” or “I’m smart and deserving,” or “The Universe loves me!” Do you have a thought habit that confirms a belief about yourself? Are those thoughts supportive, or are they illuminating limiting beliefs?

Results speak louder than words. By committing to choose new thought habits, you will eventually change your beliefs about yourself. As you do so, you will see the proof for those positive thoughts manifested in your life.

Many people think that ingrained limiting beliefs must have come from significant traumatic experiences in their lives, which is not always the case. Many people develop their beliefs, about what they can or cannot accomplish, from the ordinary events of their everyday lives. These events often felt larger-than-life at the time and drew a lot of negatively charged emotion for them. For example, have you ever revisited a house that you lived in as a child? Were you surprised at how small it seems now? You probably remembered it much more substantial. Now, think about an incident that may have occurred in your life as a child (perhaps on the playground or in the classroom) when you were embarrassed or made to feel less than intelligent. The event may have been quite minor, but to you, it was incredibly traumatic.


Words spoken by a parent or a loved one can affect your beliefs about your potential and your capacity for improvement for the rest of your life—if you allow it. You may have had family or friends who always told you to quit dreaming and focus on reality, for example. Those comments, or reprimands, can lead to beliefs that shape your future. Only you can decide if you will let them limit your life. You must remember that it isn’t what you’re born with, or without, that determines who you are

or who you will become. By the same token, if you blame others for your problems and challenges,

that is the road to irresponsibility and helplessness, and you will remain powerless to improve

them. You can change yourself and the way you relate to other people by identifying and clearing

limiting beliefs as they surface. Knowing that you’re in complete and total control of your destiny,

no matter what happens, or what others say, gives you the freedom to find your true self and

who you will become.

Dwelling on less than desirable circumstances builds negative energy and toxifies your entire

system. The obstacle that stops you from becoming the person you want to be, and having what

you wish to, grows from negativity. Learn to be appreciative in all things. You don’t have to remain

stuck in your discomfort or pain. Begin with an appreciation for the little things, and your sense of

gratitude will quickly grow. You’ll soon begin to feel sincere gratitude for many aspects of everyday

life, and that gratitude will replace the feelings of fear, disappointment, discouragement, and what

you’ve wrestled with in the past.

If you find yourself in a thought pattern that keeps pulling you down, think of one small thing that

you’re excited about in your life. It might start with “I’m thankful for a cup of coffee this morning,”

or “I’m grateful for the life-giving sun.” Say out loud to yourself anything that comes to your mind,

for which you are grateful.

The Practice of Gratitude Begets Joy Gratitude can play a dominant role in inviting awareness of abundance. For it is the state of deep

appreciation for what is. There are two types of gratitude—passive and active. Both are of value,

but one is more effective in creating consistent joy in your life. Passive gratitude is the recognition

of what is given to you—a thought of appreciation for your gifts. This is an excellent habit in and

of itself, but to take it to the next level, to actually “beget joy,” one can establish a practice of

active gratitude. Active gratitude requires action. The seed of your action begins with your

thoughts, yes, but what must follow is not just the intention to be grateful, but an active practice

of feeling thankful. With an active practice of gratitude, you are aligned to attract more good things

into your life.


Some individuals say of others, “It’s easy for so-and-so to be grateful when they have everything, and I have nothing!” This is evidence of the “I’ll be grateful when... syndrome.”

Many people think that when their life turns around and goes well, they’ll be grateful. They don’t realize they are missing opportunities for alignment through gratitude. They’re missing the positive emotional energy that gratitude brings; therefore, they miss out on what they could be attracting. As we send a vibration of appreciation to the Universe, we prime the pump for receiving more to be grateful for.

Find something, anything, to feel grateful for. When you find this habit challenging to create in

your life, try practicing the art of reframing. Reframing is choosing to see something from a

positive perspective, one that allows you to find the feeling of gratitude—the pearl in the oyster.

Buddha once said, “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we

learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least

we didn’t die; so, let us be thankful.” Try the following practice to reframe the moment and find pearls of appreciation:

1. First, tune-in to your emotions and honor them without judgment.

2. Observe the current situation/moment.

3. Describe what you see.

4. Look for a positive perspective and reframe the situation.

5. Allow yourself to feel gratitude for the positive things you’re “seeing” now.

6. Journal on this experience. What new perspectives and opportunities did your reframing

open for you? How can it make your life better?

Reframing helps you find gratitude and valuable lessons inside of experiences that you might

otherwise miss. There is always a way to see something new at the moment—to see with the

fresh eyes of gratitude.

Another possible challenge to gratitude is the vibrational quality we carry within our internal

dialogues. We forget that all the experiences in our past, both positive and negative, make us

who we are today. We can now choose to love and accept them unconditionally because we

recognize they have shaped and refined us for the better. You may find the following affirmation

helpful in challenging situations, “This is the greatest day ever because my feet are above ground,

and I’m alive and well!”

The more you study gratitude and how it can positively affect your future, the more you’ll want

to practice it. You’ll discover that gratitude inherently lies within all of us, and it is a choice that is


not dependent upon one’s circumstance. It can be practiced and developed by everyone. Even if

you’ve experienced difficult times in your past, you can become a grateful person. Brené Brown,

a research professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work, shares that

in more than 12 years of research on vulnerability, shame, and the effects of gratitude, she has

not interviewed one single person who lived a joyful life who did not also practice gratitude.

Brené’s research showed that practicing gratitude invites joy into your life - not the other way

around. Joy is the result of heartfelt gratitude! Because of her extensive research, she encourages

others to have a tangible daily practice of gratitude.

Gratitude Alters Your Perspective If your attitude is one of gratitude, you are always thankful for something. That creates positive

vibrational energy and helps you attract abundance now, and in the future, no matter what your

experience has been.

If you depend on others for your state of being or blame them for your attitudes or moods, you

give up your power to create fulfillment from within yourself. Other people will act as they do,

but you don’t have to allow their behavior to affect you. You can decide to have a grateful attitude

about everything, no matter what.

A successful life is not so much about what happens to us, but it’s mostly about how we respond

to what life brings that determines the ultimate outcomes. Instead of allowing a situation to make

you feel bad or angry, you can perceive it and respond in any way you choose rather than react

emotionally. You can observe any experience and find the blessing (or lesson) to be thankful for.

You can reframe any situation to support you rather than sabotage you.

Each day, you are in charge of your attitude. Your attitude is not anyone else’s responsibility.

Develop the habit of not allowing other people to influence how you feel or act. Develop a

persistent attitude of gratitude, and it will serve as a lasting asset to your life. If you do this, you

will surely experience more joy and fulfillment in your life.

Practicing Gratitude Gratitude can not only be an overlying attitude but can be a daily practice. Become a wise steward of all the numerous blessings we often overlook. Gratitude isn’t always automatic. Often, we must develop the gratitude habit for it to become

part of who we are. You must teach yourself to acknowledge prosperity in your life; no matter


how small or large it is. Your thought process must be transformed from one of judgment and

expectation to gratefulness.

To cultivate the art and practice of gratitude in your daily life, seek to incorporate as many of the following gratitude practices as you can.

1. Appreciate the Subtle, i.e., shift your focus and attention to the simple and the beautiful.

Appreciate even the small things of life—a baby’s giggle, the breeze through the trees,

your next inhalation.

2. As a reminder tool to cultivate a habit of gratitude set a daily alarm to go off at

12:34 p.m. Then say “1 2 3 4, This is what I’m grateful for_____” Finish the

statement with what pops into your mind.

3. Keep a gratitude journal.

The practice of observing and writing down all the abundance you witness in your

life allows you to focus more frequently on the positive aspects of your life. The

more we stay focused on the positives in our life, the more we are energetically

feeding what we do want. Write everything down, no matter how small you think

it is. For example, say “I’m thankful my car started this morning,” or “I’m thankful

that I’m able to work with such nice people,” or “I’m thankful that I’m able to

enjoy the beautiful park next to my office.” Your life is a gift so express gratitude

for every moment of it.

Include a daily “positive review”—write down five positive things that happened to

you, for you, and because of you.

4. Share three things you are grateful for with someone close to you. Create an evening or

dinner time practice of this. Let it be a “must happen” daily ritual in your life.

5. Send a daily thank you email or letter to someone.

6. Set gratitude reminders all around you. These can be anything from inspirational quotes,

a card from a loved one, or pictures of awe-inspiring landscapes. List the items you might

want to use, and where you might want to use them.

7. Meditation, prayer, and spiritual reflections are also essential tools you can use to

reconnect with gratitude. Make time for daily meditation and prayer. A regular practice

will add to your sense of gratitude and well-being.


8. Take some time to be by yourself and participate in activities that you enjoy, such as

jogging, dancing, reading, or other relaxing pastimes. Use these activities to shift to a more

positive perspective on life. List your favorite activities and describe how each can help

you to be grateful.

9. Practice contentment - not looking for a better moment. It is an element of appreciation,

which gives birth to gratitude. “Those who know they have enough will always have

enough,” said Lao Tzu, a Chinese sage.

10. Practice an “I can begin again” approach to gratitude. If you forget your gratitude

practice, return to it, when you remember it, without judgment.

11. When you have those moments or days when you don’t feel you can do it, turn to

someone who can. Let them be your life jacket until you can return to the practice.

12. See the positive in what you may classify as “negative” situations. Reframe them and

be gentle with yourself.

With these gratitude practices in place, abundance and prosperity can flow into your life without

limits. As you give back to the Universe daily via your attitude and practice of gratitude, the Law

of Attraction is invoked in your favor.

One final secret to gratitude and attracting what you desire: The secret is to appreciate each

moment in its perfection. When you are grateful for this moment, then whatever is next for you

will bubble up out of this moment. You’ll be inspired to take action. Take it. But remember, this

can only happen when you’re grateful for what is (the moment you’re now in).

Exercise: Imagine the Outcome

Imagining what it will feel like to have, be, or do the things you want can be fun, and can

create powerful energy. Imagining can help you in manifesting the outcomes you desire.

Somehow, those feelings lead you, guide you, and direct you to do the things that will

make the events happen. The great German thinker, Goethe, may have said it best when

he wrote the following inspirational message:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to

draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of

initiative, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of


which kills countless ideas and endless plans: that the

moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence

moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would

never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events

issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of

unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance,

which no man could have dreamed would come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it; Boldness

has genius, power, and magic in it.”

Exercise: The Camera

During an interview with Larry King, the famous actor and singer, Andy Griffith said of one

of his first motion pictures, “A camera is just a machine. It picks up what you give it. All

you have to do is think something, and feel it, and the camera will record it.”

The Universe is like a movie camera. Think something, feel something, and the Universe

will receive it and reflect it. When you know what you want, the first steps are to think

about it and feel it. The Universe will pick up your signal and project it. Then from here,

your next step is to act on the inspiration that follows quickly.

Exercise: New Story Guided Meditation

Recommended time: 10-15 minutes. Go through a meditation where you visualize yourself with a new identity, a new story,

and a belief system that supports you in accomplishing your goals. What would you look

like? How would you feel? How would you speak if your identity lined up with their goals?

Commit yourself to do this meditation daily for at least 30 days, or until it becomes a

habit.


Questions and Exercises for Deeper Exploration:

1. Review this module and write down any questions you may have for your coach.

2. What role does the conscious mind play?

3. What is the purpose of the subconscious mind?

4. How do you influence the subconscious mind?

5. What are some of the rules about how the subconscious mind works?

6. How can you communicate with the subconscious mind?


7. Monitor your thoughts for one week. Journal on the nature of your thoughts? Are they

positive or negative? If negative, how can you reframe them or turn them around into

positive affirmations?

8. How will your life benefit from a stronger attitude of gratitude?

9. How can you step up your practice of gratitude?

10. Pick one gratitude practice to do daily for one week.

11. Identify one negative thing going on in your life. How could you reframe the situation

to focus on essential lessons or potential long-term benefits you’ll gain through it?


12. Pick one goal in your life. Imagine the outcome with all five of your senses, engaging

as much emotion as you can. Write this out.

13. Do the guided meditation outlined earlier.

©achieve today 1 | p a g e

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