Various Methods for Escaping Negative Thought Cycles
#RetrainYourBrain #EscapingNegativeThoughtCycles
Sitting down and considering your own thoughts is not something people do every day of their life. But if you were to actively examine them, you may discover that you have certain thought patterns that can lead to negative thought cycles.
Beating yourself up and having a pessimistic attitude can be undone if you’re willing to put in the work to change your thought processes for the better.
Thought processes are not only the result of one’s environment but biology as well. The brain contains chemicals that can influence mood and certain thoughts.
But that doesn’t mean you have to let it be in control of everything. Instead, by recognizing your thought patterns, you can find ways to break the cycle and have a healthier mental approach to your everyday life.
Practising Mindfulness
Before you can start building positive thinking practices, it’s important that you become aware of your negative patterns first.
Acknowledge and identify the patterns that show up most often and decide how to want to engage with them.
This way, you can put some distance between yourself and these thoughts so that you can separate your identity from them.
All it takes is sitting quietly for a few minutes and allowing the thoughts to flow.
When a negative one arises, let it pass by and instead focus on your breathing.
Confront your Inner Critic
When you find that little voice in the back of your head trying to convince you of things that aren’t true, it can be easy to give in and just accept it. That can leave you feeling defeated and lousy the rest of your day.
Instead, consider this voice as a person that is separate from you and have a conversation with it. Why does it think that way and what proof does it have?
By challenging your inner critic, you can come to realize that none of its words is true and that there are things you have accomplished.
Alternatively, you can consider those words and accept them as input. That doesn’t mean you have to give yourself over to it, but rather, you should consider it as constructive criticism.
Thank the voice and disregard it as an empty opinion that isn’t going to have an effect on your life.
Write it Out
This may feel like homework, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well this works. By writing it out, whether on paper or on your laptop, unload your thoughts onto the page.
Don’t hold back and just let it all flow. Examine the words as you write them so that you can come to terms with your own thoughts and discover what really needs attention.
The best times to write things down is early in the morning after you’ve just woken up. Keep a journal next to your bed so that you can get your thoughts down efficiently.
Recognize your Triggers
It could be an individual, certain circumstances, or an event that takes place that leads to a stream of negative thoughts entering your conscious mind.
This requires you to be vigilant during these periods of time so that you can recognize these triggers
and retake control of your thoughts.
Over time, this will get easier and easier to deal with, since you’ll be able to better defend yourself against them when you know such events occur or when certain people are involved.
Consider Hiring a Motivational Speaker
Some people just need some outside help to get them started on the right path to getting better. Knowing how to hire a motivational speaker to help you with your negative thoughts can be one of the most important steps to take to healing, and you’ll have someone at your side to help you talk through the problems to prevent you from backsliding.
Many people feel self-conscious about discussing their problems with another person, thinking that their problems are minor or unimportant, but this is a reminder that everyone needs help now and again, no matter the nature of the problem.
Seeking help will make it easier for you to move on with your life.
Related: Turn your passion into a thriving online business.
Changing your Surroundings
Your negative thoughts can become debilitating to the point that you can no longer function. Instead of sitting there and letting it happen, get up and go somewhere else.
Take a walk or a drive, meet up with a friend for a cup of coffee, or get engaged in an activity that you love so that you can distract yourself from these thoughts.
Stay away from individuals and locations that you’ve recognized as triggers, and surround yourself with people who will reinforce positive thinking.
Reciting a Mantra
Reciting a mantra to incite positive thinking
is a helpful step in keeping away the negative ones. It can be the life preserver that you need when you feel yourself drowning in your own negative thoughts.
Pick a phrase that is short and can be repeated to yourself over and over again when you’re starting to feel those bad thoughts creep up in the back of your mind.
You’ll soon start to notice that by repeating them over and over again, you won’t be able to focus on your negative thoughts at all.
Give Yourself some Gratitude
It’s not easy to pat ourselves on the back all the time, but by recognizing your own efforts and everything that you’ve accomplished, then you’ll start to build your own self-confidence.
Come to terms with the fact that you are a capable individual who has overcome some challenges throughout your life, that even if you haven’t succeeded all the time, no one does.
Cut yourself some slack and realize that your life shouldn’t be a display of how many more trophies you have than the other person.
Negative thinking, especially when it becomes habitual, is a difficult thing to break. Your brain has already trained itself to fall into these familiar ditches because that’s just easier to do
However, by retraining your brain, you can have a more positive attitude and keep the negativity at bay.
What methods work best for you when you’re needing to escape negative thought cycles?
