3 Simple Ways To Stop Negative Thoughts From Bringing You Down
Don't let negativity ruin your day!
getty If negative thinking routinely ruins your day by spiraling out of control and you’re sick of it, help is here. You can learn how to stop negative thoughts (and get rid of your negative energy) by changing the way you think to create a more positive experience.
To begin with, understand that your negative thinking is a habit you’ve created over your lifetime — and habits are hard to break, particularly if this has been your pattern for a long time.
Also, know that our brains are predisposed to negative thoughts because of our survival instincts. We are always on the lookout for danger and warning signs, and thus, we are naturally attracted to it. For example, these survival instincts are what make us stop and gawk at an accident when we drive by.
We are also bombarded with negativity through our media. The news focuses on death and destruction, along with the nastiness of politics. Even the weather report will tell you there’s a thirty percent chance of showers tomorrow.
Why not say there’s a seventy percent chance of sunshine tomorrow? Because they are in the business of selling advertising, and they need to draw our attention. They know darn well our brains are wired to be attracted to negative thoughts — which is why they continue to fixate on it.
Speaking of advertising, most of what is being sold to us is based on fear and negativity. For example, they’ll implicitly tell you need the latest teeth whitening agent to prevent you from being embarrassed. You need plastic surgery because others won’t find you attractive if you don’t. Or, you need to ask your doctor about the latest medication or else you’ll be in pain, have a heart attack, or forever be depressed.
Fear sells.
But don’t be discouraged, there is hope. Just because we live in a world that is seemingly filled with negative thoughts and negative energy doesn’t mean it has to be your primary focus. Your greatest power in life is your power to choose, and you can choose how you think and how you react to your world.
Here are 3 tips for how to stop negative thoughts from taking over your life:
1. Take notes.
Reworking your negative thought patterns takes work. When you begin to think negatively, write down your thoughts. Use a small notepad or use a note taking app on your phone. Then, look for how true each statement is and rewrite them for a more positive outcome.
Likewise, if you think something like, "nobody cares" or "I’m all alone," write out refuting statements. Is it really true that nobody cares? Surely you know of someone who does. Are you truly alone? Surely there are places you can go to meet people and make friends.
Writing thoughts down helps you actually see what it is you're thinking. This is particularly revealing because sometimes you might not really know what you think or how your negative thoughts are showing up until you write them down and look at them.
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2. Hit reset.
Say you start your day running late and, on top of that, you’re having a bad hair day. You might be telling yourself something like, "I’m just having a bad day.” After thinking this, would you expect your experience of your day to be any different? Once you’ve had that thought, your subconscious will look and seek out evidence all day long to support that thought.
So as you continue throughout your day, your boss is a jerk, you and your co-workers get into a chat about how your clients are all mean, and you just can’t wait until your day is done.
Before your negative thoughts start spiraling out of control, step back, take a deep breath and reset your outlook. Instead of focusing on the negatives, instead re-frame your thinking: Just because you got off to a rough start, you’re going to have a good day in spite of it, and then go about your day looking at what is good and what you can be thankful for.
3. Re-examine your thoughts.
When a negative thought strikes you, hold it captive. Then, ask yourself if it's a provable fact. If it isn’t, you can cancel that thought out, and then fill your mind with a more favorable empowering thought.
For example, if you think people around you are judging you, by re-examining that thought, you could tell yourself, “The truth is I have no idea what others think of me.” Then you can choose not to be concerned with what others think or, as long as you don’t know what they think, why not believe they think you’re awesome. After all, your subconscious won’t know the difference.
You get to choose how you think about your life, You may not have control over your circumstance, but you get to choose how you react to it. So choose your thoughts, instead of reacting with them.
By changing your thoughts, you can change your life.
Craig Nielson is a professional coach, speaker, and educator who specializes in helping women transform their lives into becoming fully empowered and self-confident. Learn more and get your free eBook, How Women Unknowingly Sabotage Their Self Confidence And How To Get It Back.