It is said that the average college-educated person thinks an average of 50,000 thoughts a day. How many of these thoughts do you think you are aware of? How many do you think you repeat? How many of your thoughts change your current disposition or future beliefs? These questions and more had me once again think about the radical importance of consciously creating our thoughts, or what I call “purposeful thinking.”

In 2004 Marcel Losada, an organizational psychologist, discovered a positivity/negativity ratio that established the tipping point of emotional well-being: whether determining how well a company was thriving, an individual flourishing, or predicting the longevity of a marriage, it seemed a minimum of 3:1 positive-to-negative ratio needed to exist.

The big question then really is, how many of your 50,000 thoughts are positive?  If you’re like most, the answer may be, humorously ironic, a negative one. Not to fret. One of the founding principles of Positive Psychology—one that I repeatedly live and lead my clients by—is that 40% of our happiness level lies in our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.  In other words, factors that are not only within our control, but changeable. Acknowledging and understanding that your current level of satisfaction, fulfillment and joy can be increased, is an ever-important first step. Next comes your intention and willingness to make the change.