How Wishful Thinking Messes With Your Life: And What You Can Do About It

Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or just plain disappointed with the way your life is turning out?

Do you daydream about a better future but never quite make it a reality?

Then, it’s time to face the truth: wishful thinking may be messing with your life.

We’ve all been there.

Maybe you’ve spent time wishfully thinking of landing your dream job, winning the lottery, or finally finding that special someone who fills your life with love. 

But what happens when those dreams don’t come true? The disappointment and frustration can be overwhelming, and that’s when you’re left feeling stuck and helpless.

Is there a better way?

Yes!

So let’s explore the price of wishful thinking, the difference between wishful thinking and imagining a better future, and how embracing inner action can help you break free from the cycle of disappointment and frustration.

And while it’s true that wishful thinking can be fun, sadly it doesn’t have the vibrational frequencies that are needed to turn your dreams into reality.

So, if you’re ready to jump in and start to seriously work on making those dreams of yours come true, then it’s time to say goodbye to wishful thinking and hello to a brighter future.

The price of wishful thinking

There’s no doubt about it; wishful thinking can seriously impact our lives, and the truth is, it doesn’t lead us anywhere good.

When we indulge in it, we convince ourselves that we’re waiting for the “perfect” opportunity before taking action. But in reality, we’re just putting something off.

I’ve struggled with procrastination in the past, and yes, sometimes in the present, so I know firsthand how wishful thinking can lead us down that road to doing…not much! 

Worse still, constantly indulging in wishful thinking can take a toll on our well-being, causing stress and anxiety when our dreams fail to come true (yet again).

And before we know it, we’re trapped in a cycle of hoping for change but never actually taking action to make it happen. As a result, we feel stuck and unfulfilled, wondering why we can’t achieve our dreams.

Let’s face it, wishful thinking isn’t really doing us any favors. And if we want to achieve our goals and improve our lives, we need to start taking action and making things happen.

The syndrome that keeps you back from moving forward

I bet there are times when you thought, “If I had only done this differently, everything would be better”? 

This is known as the “if only syndrome,” and it’s a classic example of wishful thinking. 

We convince ourselves that everything would be perfect if only we had made different choices or circumstances.

But the truth is, dwelling on these “if only’s” only holds us back from moving forward. Instead, it keeps us stuck in the past, fixated on what could have been instead of what can be.

It’s important to recognize that our thoughts, moods, and feelings impact our physical world. 

So when we indulge in negative thoughts and emotions, our mood is affected, which in turn affects our behavior, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy of what will never be.

In other words, if we constantly tell ourselves that things will never improve, we’re less likely to take the necessary steps toward improving our situation. And this is why it’s essential to put wishful thinking aside.

Imagining a better future

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Picture yourself achieving your goals”? It may sound cliché, but there’s actually some truth to it. 

Using our imagination to visualize the future we want can have a powerful effect on our motivation to take action.

When we’re just wishfully thinking, we’re not taking steps toward making our dreams a reality. But when we use our imagination to picture what we want, we create a mental image connected to emotions that motivates us to act.

Here’s how it works.

Picture this: You’re lying in bed, dreaming of the ideal job, the ideal relationship, the ideal life. You can see it all so clearly in your mind’s eye. 

Then, before you know it, you’ll find yourself taking the first step toward making that dream a reality.

From many years of experience with this practice, I can say, hand on heart, it works this way.

This is the power of imagination.

So when we picture our goals, it creates a mental image that makes us feel good. And because there’s this unbroken connection between our feelings and our physical world, the feelings generated from our mental image make it more likely that we’ll start to take action.

It’s a beautiful system.

And that’s the big difference between our inner imagining capabilities and wishful thinking; one leads to action, while the other leads to no action. Zip. Zilch.

So the next time you dream of a better future, don’t stop there. Imagine what it looks like and make it real in your mind. Feel the relief, joy, or gratitude you’d experience if the very thing you desired was in your life right now.

Feelings are the fuel your desires, goals and dreams need to impel you into action.

Embracing inner action and letting go of wishful thinking

We may feel stuck, frustrated, or overwhelmed and rely on wishful thinking to get us through, hoping that things magically fall into place without effort.

 But the truth is, that’s not how it works. Although, as I have said many times before, working with our inner powers feels like magic.

Yet, real change is part of simply and deliberately using inner action.

It’s not always easy, and there may be setbacks and challenges along the way. 

But the benefits are immeasurable when we commit to making positive life changes.

So take a step back, and remind yourself of all the reasons you started reading this article in the first place. 

Maybe you’re tired of feeling stuck or unfulfilled, or maybe you’re ready for a change. Whatever your reason, know that you have the power to make it happen.

Release the grip of wishful thinking and tap into your inner strength.

This is where the journey of turning your dreams into reality begins. Take the first step and commit to making positive changes in your life.

The question is…”Are you ready?”

Encourage one another.

Love Elle

xox

Photo by Vanessa Sezin on Unsplash