01 Feb Learn How To Use CBT to Discover Why “I Can” Is More Powerful Than “I Can’t”
The negative thoughts that start with “I can’t” force you into giving your power away. However, when you take your power back and change the narrative to “I can,” you give yourself more authority to do everything you want to. Using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you learn to change your thinking. Learning to change your thinking empowers you to do more than you could have ever imagined.
Giving Your Power Away With Thoughts of “I Can’t”
Negative thoughts can be so ingrained in your mind that you may not even realize that you are thinking them. One of the most deflating phrases that cycle through some people’s minds virtually every day is “I can’t.” No matter what it is, whether or not you have tried it, and whether or not you know it to be true, you allow your mind to say, “I can’t.”
“I can’t” may only be two words, but this phrase can rob you of your inner power. When your brain is convinced that these words are true, you give up on trying and making an effort. You find yourself giving all your power away because of a negative thought which may or may not be true. In this way, you render yourself helpless, hopeless, and completely neutralized.
Restoring Your Power
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the phrase “I can” opens up endless possibilities. Just flipping that switch from the negative to the positive opens up your mind to believe that everything is still possible. “I can” is empowering. The phrase encourages you to try, to move forward, and to do your best, maximizing the possibility or even the probability of success.
By removing the negative connotation of “can’t,” you remove all boundaries, restrictions, and limitations on your mind, your beliefs, and your abilities. That is the power of positive thinking and why positive thinking is emphasized so much. Thinking “I can” makes all the difference in the world.
Using CBT to Change the Narrative to “I Can”
One of the most common types of therapy used in the addiction recovery industry is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). A big focus of CBT is to remove negative thinking and replace it with positive thoughts. This process is also the key to changing the narrative to “I can.” Undoing the habits that come with years of negative thinking is a tremendous undertaking. You have to focus on and remove all of those negative thoughts that hold you back.
CBT helps you to be aware of your thoughts and feelings and how they influence your behavior. From there, you can address them and change them. CBT is an evidence-based therapeutic approach to healing and has been found to be very effective in the treatment of addiction.
How CBT Helps Transform “I Can’t” Into “I Can”
When you use CBT to look at your thought processes, you will likely find that you use the words “I can’t” more often than not. During therapy, you may talk about how this habit affects your behavior and how you truly feel when you say “I can’t.” A good therapist can help you find ways to identify your negative thoughts and become aware when you are telling yourself “I can’t.”
As you talk through your thoughts and feelings, as well as the purpose those thoughts are serving in your behaviors, your therapist might help you identify and prioritize the behaviors you would like to have. These are your “I can” behaviors. As you become more aware of your negative thoughts, you can replace “I can’t” with “I can.”
Empowering Your Thinking for Success in Life
When you change your thinking from “I can’t” to “I can,” you empower yourself to accomplish anything you want. You leave all of the doors open. It does not mean that you will not make mistakes or fail, but it does mean that you can do anything that you put your mind to. In fact, you may be able to do more than you ever thought possible.
“I can” empowers you to have every success in life. By utilizing CBT to look at your thinking and how it is impacting your behavior, you can change negative thinking into positive thinking. This is especially important in recovery. Imagine, all day, reinforcing the idea that you cannot get through treatment or recovery.
Now imagine the difference if you told yourself all day that you can succeed in your recovery. You allow yourself an open mind, a positive attitude, and a chance of success. Even if it may sometimes be hard, even if you may stumble, the words “I can” allow you the possibility to succeed. Sometimes, possibility is all you need to get where you’re going.