The perception of the reality of our lives is sometimes more important than reality itself. Learning to focus on positive thoughts is the first step in creating a more positive lifestyle. In fact, it’s a great idea to keep a more positive frame of mind if you focus on an inspiration quote. Dr. Phil McGraw advises, “Life’s managed, not cured.”

Let’s take a look at how we can use inspirational quotes to manage our thoughts to help us achieve healthy attitudes and perceptions in our daily lives.

So when negative thoughts take over, it’s time to replace those thoughts with something positive. We can’t let negative thoughts take over and define us. Sometimes, it may be difficult to find positivity when immersed in an overwhelming situation. This is when the power of a positive quote from Dr. Phil can pull you out of a slump and help you return to a healthy state of mind.

How Inspirational Quotes Can Help You

In order to separate yourself from the negativity brought on by the stress and trials of daily life, you need to develop a game plan. It’s easy to let the negative thoughts take over. Adopting and using inspirational quotes is a proven strategy that can help remove negative feelings when they first surface instead of letting them control your emotions. This plan can be achieved in three easy steps.

Step 1:

Recognize when negative thoughts are entering your mind, and don’t ignore them.

Step 2:

Remove yourself from those negative thoughts by looking at them from the outside. Acknowledge they are just “bad thoughts” and refuse them to have any control over you.

Step 3:

Request that evil thoughts leave. Replace them immediately with a positive quote that will return good ideas and a positive attitude to your day.

Suggestions from Dr. Phil

Dr. Phil offers excellent advice on developing a plan to understand better how life works and how you can take control and get the results you want. He explains this process in his article on life strategies.

“Those who don’t are stumbling along looking puzzled, and can be found complaining that they never seem to get a break.” -Dr. Phil McGraw

The premise of using positive thoughts, such as inspirational quotes, is designing a strategy to carefully monitor the information you get about yourself, the people you come in contact with, and situations that prevent themselves in your life. Accepting misinformation and input from harmful sources is taking a walk down the wrong path. You can begin the journey to a more positive life by finding meaningful quotes that suit the situations you commonly find yourself in and bringing them to the forefront of your thought process.

18 Life Rules and Inspirational Quotes from Dr. Phil McGraw

Dr. Phil provides life advice, that if followed, can help you develop the strategies to get the results from life. They enable you to stop being the victim of the negativity that often surrounds us. Use these suggestions and quotes to help dig you out when the negative thoughts want to take over. Be proactive in understanding that taking a positive and proactive approach can make a difference in your life.

Attribution for all quotes below: Dr. Phil McGraw:

1. “Eighty percent of all choices are based on fear. Most people don’t choose what they want; they choose what they think is safe.”

Be the person who gets it. Try to understand how life works and create a strategy to get the results you want.

2. “If you want more, you have to require more from yourself.”

Accept accountability for your life by creating your own experiences. Understand that you play a role in how your life turns out.

3. “In life, you have three options with any situation that is a challenge. Remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it.”

People are most like to do what works. Think about the behaviors that drive you and cut off those that are not productive. You can’t stop the negative actions if you don’t identify them.

4. “If you don’t have a plan, days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, months turn into years, and before you know it, you’re looking back and saying, I should’ve had a plan.”

Be realistic and truthful about what is working in your life and what isn’t. Don’t make excuses, make changes that will turn into positive results.

5. “Change can come in either of two important ways: Start behaving positively or stop behaving negatively.”

Life rewards the positive actions that you take. Turning your energy into positive and purposeful actions provides productive results. What you do makes a difference in the direction of your life.

6. “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.”

Reality is based on your perception. You have control over how you perceive the world, and you can choose your reaction and the value you place on any event. Practice the power of control every day, in every circumstance.

7. “You are your own most important resource for making your life work. Life rewards action. Until your knowledge, awareness, insights, and understandings are translated into action; they are of no value.”

Take charge of your life and be the driver. Make your daily objective in managing your life in a way that produces quality and happy results.

8. “You have got to decide, look, this is who I am; this is my best way to present myself, and I’m going to ride that horse to the finish line. Not everybody will like it, but that’s OK.”

Instead of accepting how people treat you, negotiate the terms of your relationships. When you allow people to treat you a certain way, you are agreeing to that treatment. Identify what you are doing to reinforce unacceptable behaviors by others and find a way to make it change.

9. “Forgiveness is what you do for yourself, not for other people.”

Learn the power of forgiveness. Anger and resentment give strength to those people who have hurt you. These are destructive feelings that prevent you from peace, enjoyment, and relaxation. They will take a physical toll by disruption your sleep and even be the catalyst for physical problems like headaches, back pain, and heart attacks. Forgiveness frees you from those bonds.

10. “If you want more, you have to require more from yourself.”

If you don’t know what you want out of life, you can’t ask for it. You also won’t know when you get there. Define your goals and make choices along the way to help you reach those goals.

11. “If you need a miracle, be a miracle.”

Once you decide what you want, be bold enough to reach for it. You have to believe you deserve what you want to achieve and have the strength to step up and claim it.

12. “Instead of being ashamed of what you’ve been through, be proud of what you have overcome!”

Don’t use your past as an excuse for bringing down your future. Everyone has things in their history. You need to get over yours and concentrate on a positive future.

13. “The difference between winners and losers is that winners do things losers don’t want to do.”

Change your thinking from being a loser to being a winner. Get competitive about your goals and become a mental athlete to achieve success.

14. “People who have nothing to hide, hide nothing. You should be an open book. Be transparent.”

By removing negativity and negative thoughts, you can allow yourself to become an open book. It is much more comfortable, to be honest with yourself and others than it is to hide things.

15. “The truth doesn’t have versions; it just is.”

Be truthful. While it isn’t always easy and may take practice, the more you practice, the better you will be at it.

16. “Stand up and walk out of your history.”

If you are not happy with your past, leave it behind you. All that is important is your future. Choose to write your future to be better than your history.

17. “Be your authentic self. Your authentic self is who you are when you have no fear of judgment, or before the world starts pushing you around and telling you who you’re supposed to be. Give yourself permission to be your authentic self.”

Be yourself. Love yourself for who you are.

18. “This is your life, and the clock is ticking.”

Don’t wait to make positive changes. Life is short, make positive changes while you still have the time.

inspirational quotes
Want to read more inspirational quotes? Check out the words of Mr. Rogers.

Final Thoughts on These Inspirational Quotes from Dr. Phil McGraw

Inspirational quotes can remind you what is really important in life. Dr. Phil gives us some quotes to tell us to cut out the noise of negativity, how to focus on what is essential, and which aspects of our life make a positive contribution. Our perception of the world, our relationship, and our goals, will only turn into positives if we focus on them each and every day. Try using a quote daily to give power to the positive and stay grounded with what is important.