“Our actions depend on our thoughts and feelings. When we get rid of negative thoughts, and with them goes the drama and pain”, – the anonymous author.
Negative thoughts are completely useless to you. A bit of good. Not a crumb of common sense. And you know what else?
Negative thinking has absolutely no bearing on your personality. Toxic, negative thoughts do not determine your personality and your character, and certainly can’t determine your destiny… Unless, of course, we do not allow them to do it. We, and only we, give the power of negative thoughts – and, unfortunately, do this too often. We harm only ourselves – and for what?
5 ways to take a fresh look at negative thoughts
“Even your worst enemy cannot harm you as your own thoughts unrestrained”, said the Buddha once.
Note the word “unrestrained”. Sometimes negative thoughts as it hangs in the depths of our mind, waiting for the slightest chance to break through to the surface. That is why the conscious change of perspective or a mental restructuring is so important for all of us.
Dr. Alice Boyce, a former clinical psychologist and author of the book “Alarm set”, describes a mental restructuring as a “key element cogntive-behavioral psychotherapy (CPP)”. Psychologist considers it “one of the most effective forms of integrated psychotherapy”.
But to learn how mental restructuring, you don’t even need to participate in the CAT – because we’ll teach you the basics of this technique. Of course, this is just the basics, and they will not make you an expert, but after reading the article, you will know and be able to do a bit more than before.
So, here are 5 ways to take a fresh look at negative thoughts.
1. Observe your thoughts.
Take a comfortable position in the back of your mind and just watch out for negative thoughts. Imagine watching a bird, the wings appearing on the roof of the house opposite.
As a rule, negative thoughts – a product of distorted thinking or irrational thinking patterns. Recently this approach to toxic thoughts gaining a strong position among psychologists and psychiatrists all over the world. To get rid of negative thoughts, you don’t need therapy or medication – just watch them, and soon make sure that they dissipate without a trace.
2. Try not to dwell on the same problem.
Long obsasyvanie and chewing the thoughts of one and the same problem is a waste of our time and energy, as well as a surefire way to fill our mind with unnecessary thoughts that distract from the main.
Approach to solving problems by the principle: “If I’m going to think a long time about this problem, it may be, will disappear,” simply does not work. If in parallel with thinking about problems you will not strain your frontal lobe of your brain, in other words, the act of trying to solve the problem, all these thoughts will be no good.
But how can you change these thoughts, directing them in a positive direction? We can propose the following approach:
- Draw on a piece of paper a table with two columns. Sign in the first column “Thoughts” and the second “Solution”.
- When you catch yourself aimless looping on a problem, write down the time you noticed it, write down your thoughts about the problem, and then try to write something constructive in the column “decision”.
- At the end of the day/week/month and count how many times you have such thoughts, and how many times you managed to create a solution.
Did you manage during thinking problem to create something constructive? If not, reread the first paragraph.
3. Be clear about the facts
Another way to look at your thoughts on the other hand is a sober look at the facts on which they are based.
For example, if you constantly find yourself thinking about what you have, there is always money, try to evaluate whether or not this is so, and to find a solution, if necessary.
Take another piece of paper and again draw it to a table of two columns. In the first column, describe the evidence to support the existence of the problem. In this case, the fact that you have “always no money” – the status of your Bank accounts, the fact that you constantly borrow money from friends, and so on. In the second column write down the facts proving the opposite – for example, that you have a house, you don’t go to bed hungry…
What it can do to help you? Take a look at the completed table. Can you say with 100% certainty that you have “always no money”? And if so, what are you going to do about it? Maybe you should start with making a family budget and spending limits?
4. Descend from the clouds to the ground, live consciously
Well, we talked about the money – now it’s time to start talking about more earthly, realistic approach to life.
Three-time champion of the Triple Ironman triathlon and scientist Christopher Bergland believes that to pull your head out of the clouds and begin to live fully in the present moment is much easier than most people think. Bergland smashes his way to a state of consciousness in three steps.
“Stop. Breathe. Think about your thoughts. This simple technique will keep you calm, concentration and equanimity throughout the day,” says Bergland.
For those who want to explore the issue more seriously, there are more significant techniques that help to achieve awareness. For example, “stress Reduction based on mindfulness” (MBSR).
5. Understand the power of impermanence and neutrality
We have already mentioned this, but perhaps it’s worth repeating: negative thoughts shaky and unstable, and they have no authority over you except that which you give her.
No matter how black thought visited your mind this time – remember that we told you. You can even create and repeat a mantra: “This is a negative thought. I’ll be watching it, but will not allow me to make all the same, it will soon pass”.
One of the great ways to demonstrate the impotence of negative thoughts is to do something positive. Do something that just won’t leave my head for negative thoughts.
We wish you happiness, peaceful sky over your head, and love and respect for ourselves.
