How To Get Rid of Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts have the power to prevent you from manifesting and living the life you want. These thoughts convince you that you're not good enough and pop in your head when you least expect it. Psychologists categorize these thoughts as Automatic Negative Thoughts—self-destructive and self-sabotaging thoughts that trigger cortisol production, the stress hormone.
This means that those seemingly harmless negative thoughts can have a tangible impact on your life, from your appearance to your energy levels. But the good news is that it's possible to reframe these negative thoughts into positive ones. Below, we outlined some tips that you can keep in mind to reverse your negative thoughts next time.
Don't focus on the negative
It might be difficult at first because when negative thoughts attack, you feel like you can think of anything else. However, it's vital to push through and put a positive spin on everything you can. Writing things down can help you process these thoughts properly.
Avoid the "all-or-nothing" mindset
Modern society's obsession with hyper-productivity and success paved the way for the "all-or-nothing" mindset. However, you need to realize that this mindset does more harm than good. It's easy for people who think this way to feel down about missing, say, a workout session. It's easy to get wrapped up in hitting all your health goals 24/7 and feeling like a failure if you miss one thing on your checklist.
Instead, it's best to realize that life happens. And missing one workout won't keep you from achieving your health goals. If you miss a day, accept that things don't always go as planned, and do your best the next day.
Watch out for guilty thinking
Have you ever been caught up in all the "shoulds," "musts," and "have to's" even when you didn't need to do any of them? This is guilty thinking, and it does an incredible job of limiting your behavior.
The best way to fight back is by being self-aware. Figure out if something is an obligation before you use these words. And if you decide that certain things aren't your obligation, you can start working towards saying "no" often.
Negative future predicting
Ever get those times when you "just know"? You "just know" that you'll never get around to playing the sports you used to love while wearing your prosthetic limb. You "just know" that you'll fail. Sound familiar?
This is called future predicting, albeit the harmful kind. Not the mindset you want to keep. Bust this type of negative talk by developing curiosity and excitement about the future.
Fight the spotlight effect
Have you ever walked into a room convinced that you know what others are thinking about you? Hyper awareness of how other people might be perceiving you is called the spotlight effect. It convinces you that others are criticizing you when in fact, they're focused on their own concerns.
You can fight the spotlight effect by reminding yourself that other people have a million things going on in their lives, and they are likely preoccupied with these concerns.
Don't fall into the victim mentality
It's easy to get caught in the victim mentality trap by believing that others are responsible for your failures or successes. But this mindset only turns you into someone who isn't in control of their life.
To fight this mindset, start telling yourself that you are responsible for how your life turns out. When you believe this, numerous possibilities will open up to you.
Do you constantly battle with negative thoughts? What do you do to overturn these thoughts?
