Thoughts can be tricky....

I never truly realized how powerful the connection between our thoughts and our physical well-being is—until I advanced my studies in hypnotherapy. The majority of people go through life without understanding how closely our thoughts are aligned with our bodies.
Have you ever found yourself feeling anxious, stressed, or even physically drained from a single negative thought? It’s amazing how powerful our thoughts are—and how they can dictate how we feel, how we behave, and even our physical state. You might not even realize just how connected your mind and body truly are.

A Lesson Learned on the Farm
Spring/Summer 2024. An important time for farmers. It was my second season driving tractors for a contractor down south. As many farmers can recall, it was a very short season. I didn’t start driving the machinery until mid-October—two months later than usual—due to excessive rainfall. The paddocks on the farms needed more than a week of dry weather to become firm enough to drive on. I vividly remember still working in December, on paddocks that were too damp, skipping spots to avoid getting stuck.
In mid-October, some areas in Southland were dry enough for work, so I filled my days with power harrowing. One particular day, something fascinating happened. I was surprised by my reaction, and most of all, by my thought pattern. It was a wake-up call—how could I, someone who knows the power of thought, allow myself to fall into such a negative loop?
It was a busy day. I was on schedule, and everything was going smoothly. The machine was working fine—until the last paddock. As I made my way through, I noticed that the roller of the power harrow was getting damp. By the end of the day, soil started sticking to it, and the roller stopped turning. The soil piled up.
I had to get out and see what was causing the issue. My suspicion was correct. With limited tools, I only had my pocket knife to work with, so I started scraping the soil off the roller. The worst parts took a long time to clear, and I kept telling myself, “This takes ages.” I also thought, “What would the farmer think if he sees me standing still for so long?” “The season is already so short; any delay is wasted.”
I was unaware of how I was sabotaging myself even further (even though these thoughts seemed so innocent). I kept going, and eventually, the roller worked again. But it didn’t last long—about 1 ½ passes later, the same issue occurred, and I felt frustration building. I knew I’d have to clean the roller again, and that would take so much more time.
I got out of the tractor and started the task again, cleaning off the soil. With every scrape, my thoughts became more negative: “Oh my God, this is taking forever.” “What would the farmer think?” “What would my boss say if he sees me like this?” “I’m wasting so much time!”
These thoughts were on an automatic loop. Suddenly, I noticed my body becoming more anxious, sweaty, and red in the face. I felt embarrassed, even as if I were a burden to my boss, who had already had a tough start to the season.
I stopped and thought, “Hang on, Iris. What the heck are you telling yourself?” In that moment, I had a lightbulb moment: the power of my thoughts wasn’t just affecting my mood—it was affecting my physical state too. I became conscious of my thoughts. My thoughts were physically manifesting in my body—the sweat, the redness, the shallow breathing, and the feeling of embarrassment. The worst part? All of this happened in mere seconds.
Then, I thought about my own business, Mind Shift Therapy, and realized I’ve never reacted to a mistake like this. In fact, when I make a mistake in my own business, I’m usually happy because I know I can learn and grow from it. So, why was I so hard on myself while working for someone else?
Of course, I felt pressure to help my boss as much as I could. I wanted to support him through this difficult season by being vigilant with the machinery and solving small problems as they arose. But as I stood there looking at the roller, I became even more conscious of my thoughts. I was shocked. Here I am, someone who knows how much our thoughts can affect us, and even I got caught up in a negative pattern.
This made me wonder: how many farmers or people out there are unaware of the impact their thoughts have—and don’t know how to snap out of it? This realization opened my eyes to the power of thoughts, not just in farming but in all aspects of life.

It’s easy and so normal to fall into negative thinking patterns, and change takes time. It’s OK to make mistakes, and the key is learning from them and progressing forward. That is one of the beauties life offers. We are here to create and find our talents and gifts.

Turning Negative Thoughts Around
At that moment, I decided to take control. I shifted my thinking. Instead of continuing down the negative path, I chose to focus on the positives. I looked around and thought, “How lucky am I that this issue happened right here? My boss’s yard is only 200 meters away, and I have all the tools I need within reach. I didn’t have to travel far for more supplies!”
Then, I realized I was on their parents’ paddock—people who understand that maintenance is a part of working with machinery. Another positive: this was my last job of the day. No other farmer was waiting for me after this.
As I continued, my energy shifted. I started repeating positive thoughts: “I’m lucky to be here. I’m doing a great job.” Gradually, my mindset improved, and even my physical actions sped up. As I shifted my focus, my body responded too. I felt a sense of lightness in my chest, my breathing became steadier, and the anxiety that had previously gripped me started to melt away. I became more efficient, and my body began to relax. Suddenly, I was enjoying myself and set myself up for a challenge: how fast can I clean this soil up? It became a healthy competition.
What was great about this moment is that if I had stayed in my negative thought pattern, I would’ve blindly overlooked how close I was to the yard. My negative thoughts had limited me, creating tunnel vision that prevented me from seeing the advantages of my situation.
Remember, progress in changing thought patterns comes with practice, and the key is to stay consistent.

The Power of Thoughts
“As we think, so we become. As we become, so we see how we’ve been thinking.” – Deb Shapiro. Your body speaks your mind.
Whether you’re feeling joyful or stressed, every thought you have, every emotion you feel, and every event you experience influences how your body operates.
This is especially important to remember when adversity strikes. For instance, during two months of constant rainfall, when you’re running low on feed for your stock, when your paddocks are underwater, and when you see your ewes and lambs being swept away by the rising river, it can feel like the situation is completely out of your control.
While you can’t change the weather, the one thing you can control is your thoughts.
One simple way to stay aware of your thoughts is to check in with yourself throughout the day. Pause for a moment, take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself: ‘What am I thinking right now? How is it making me feel?’

“When you change your thoughts, you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale.

How to Turn Negative Thought Patterns into Positive Ones

1. Become aware of your thoughts: Pay attention to how your thoughts make you feel. Are you stressed, anxious, sad, or hopeless? If you truly want to change, write down your thoughts after a stressful or uncomfortable event you’ve experienced.
2. Challenge the negativity: After becoming aware of your negative thoughts, consciously replace them with positive ones. It may feel difficult, especially in times of loss or adversity, but focusing on the actions you’ve taken—like doing your best—can help. Focus on what you did well during the adversity and write it down.
   An example could sound like:
   “A thought could be ‘I always mess up in these situations.’ Then, challenge that by replacing it with: ‘I’ve handled challenging situations before and will improve with practice.’”
   If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a task, you might think, ‘This is too much to handle.’ Instead, challenge that thought by focusing on one small task you can handle at the moment, like, ‘I’ll start with this first step, and it will get easier.’
3. Reinforce the positive: Your mind learns through repetition. Keep repeating positive affirmations until your body and mind start to believe them. Above all, repeat them while you’re in a stressful situation.
4. Be mindful of others’ words: Farmers and others around you may be experiencing the same challenges. Support them by reinforcing positive thoughts like, “You’re doing the best you can.”
5. Reflect after adversity: Adversity can be a powerful teacher. It gives you the chance to learn about your strength and resilience. Once the challenge is over, reflect on what you did well and what you could have done differently. This reflection can help you learn and grow and might even lead to improvements in your business systems.
6. Some negative thoughts are a natural response to stress or hardship. Be kind to yourselves. It’s not about erasing all negative thoughts, but about not letting them control you. You have the power to pause and redirect your mindset.
   If you need help with changing your thoughts, I understand how hard it can be to be aware of them during an adversarial event. That’s why, through my newly developed program, I help you trigger awareness of your thought patterns during stressful moments. This will allow you to rapidly shift into a healthier mindset. The small things may seem innocent, but they often have a huge impact on our well-being.
   Contact me here for more information.

Recommended Reading
If this article sparked your interest, I recommend two books that could further inspire you:

1. “The Resilient Farmer” by Doug Avery. This book is a must-read for anyone in farming. Doug Avery shares his journey and how he turned adversity into an opportunity for growth. Pay attention to the words he uses when faced with challenges.
2. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl. As a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, Frankl explores how our thoughts and attitude shape our experience, even in the most extreme circumstances. His book is a profound exploration of the human spirit.
   Both books demonstrate that no matter how big or small your adversity is, you have the power to overcome it through positive thinking. Remember, you are the captain of your mind and your body. What you think today shapes your tomorrow.

“There is no such thing as control. The only thing you can control in your life are your thoughts, and your thoughts are yours to change.” – Marisa Peer