“Nothing Ever goes right for me.”
“I just know it won’t work.”
“It’s going to be one of those days.”
“Why should I try.”
Everyone falls prey to negative thinking sometimes. It’s like watching a movie that begins with clear skies and happiness and seeing it turn into dark clouds and horror. The unfortunate thing is that there’s no eerie music to alert us when the turn takes place in our minds from positive to negative thinking. We can only tune into our thoughts once in a while to see how we’re doing.
The problem is that many people suffer from ” Negative Thinking” disorder. Even though it is terribly damaging, most people are not aware they have it. Few of them have any understanding of the chaos negative thinking is creating in their lives.
When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, there are a few things you can do – actually practice – that can help you overcome the negativity and get yourself into that “happy ending.”
As a quote from Dalai Lama says, “The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.”
Edit Your Negative Thinking
Here are seven ways to STOP negative thoughts.
- Each time you catch yourself saying or thinking anything negative, do the following: STOP- and reinstate it in the positive. When you edit your thinking, you are replacing the negative thought with a positive idea. You’re rewiring your brain with an accurate picture of how you choose to be.
- Meditation. Finding some time for yourself to meditate or relax and restore your energy levels can do wonders for your outlook. When you combine some yoga stretches or deep breathing, you can make more significant leaps.
- Smile. The best way to diffuse a negative situation is to smile – a genuine natural smile with your eyes and entire face and demeanor. It can lift a mood almost instantaneously and help relieve stress, too (and it takes fewer facial muscles to smile than to frown).
- Help someone else. Becoming a benefactor to someone can fill your heart and mind with happiness. And, how can you think and project negative thoughts when you’re so happy?
- Keep a gratitude journal. Those who have had to overcome significant obstacles in their lives say they kept still and did keep a gratitude journal and wrote a few things in it every day that they were grateful for. It helped to get them through bad times.
- Choose positive people to be around. You may have to work with negative people, and you may have some in your own family, but your friends that you choose can be positive ones who help you put things into perspective when you’re thinking negatively.
- Being positive is a choice. You control your own thoughts. That means you decide what you think about. If you’re not satisfied, angry, or frustrated, that’s all you.
I always thought: “I can’t be happy unless I have money, own a nice car, and have a big house.”
But I was thinking wrong. You can be happy with your current life. All it takes is a decision. And when that improves, you’ll be satisfied.
Awareness
Do whatever works for you to lift your spirits and get you out of negative self-talk. Some people exercise. That brings the endorphins flowing and keeps you from becoming depressed.
“The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.” ~Dalai Lama XIV
Dancing and singing are also proven mood lifters. You don’t have to be good enough for “American Idol” or “Dancing with the Stars.” Just dance or sing unfiltered and see how the stress can melt away.
Negative thoughts will still appear from time to time. That’s OK! Think of them as an opportunity to practice your new habit, and soon you will reprogram with negative thinking.
You are in charge of your choices in life, and you can either choose to be a negative or a positive person to go through life.
I am Shirley Noah, author and an internationally known stress expert and entrepreneur. I would love to connect further with you to help you improve your health and well-being. If you are interested in learning more about your self-talk, please look at this e-Course: How to Optimize Your Self-talk.
For similar articles go to ingoodhealthcoach.com
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