It’s easy to get caught up in negative thoughts, especially if you’re feeling more stressed out than usual. But, negative thoughts can be quite insidious. They can take up space in your head without you even realizing that they’re occupying so much of it. You can turn your thoughts into your reality, which is why you’ve got to nip the negative ones in the bud! Here are 11 easy ways to do that right now.
1. Stop And Take Note.
You can’t get rid of negative thoughts if you don’t know they’re there. So, stop and listen to the thoughts racing around your head. It might surprise you to discover how many are negative and bringing you down. When you hear a negative one, bring it out into the light and really listen to it.
2. Do A Quick Mindful Breathing Exercise.
When you feel negative thoughts overwhelming you, stop and do a quick mindful exercise. Close your eyes and breathe in, imagining good thoughts. Then, slowly release your breath, imagining that you’re releasing those negative thoughts at the same time. This will eliminate those thoughts that are making you feel miserable.
3. Challenge Your Thoughts.
When you’ve noticed those negative thoughts, it’s time to challenge them. Don’t believe everything they tell you. Ask yourself, “Is this thought really factual?” or “Is my fear producing this thought?” This will help you to break down the negativity and not let it have such a hold over you.
4. Set Some Positive Go-To Habits.
You can derail negative thoughts that are stuck in a loop by doing something positive. This might be listening to your favorite Taylor Swift songs or watching a Whitney Cummings stand-up bit. Whatever makes you laugh and feel good will help you distract yourself from negative thoughts.
5. Start Visualizing Happiness.
Replace negative thoughts with positive ones by using the power of visualization. Sit somewhere quiet and allow yourself to imagine yourself feeling happy and positive. You could also dream up achieving your goal or ideal relationship. According to Verywell Mind, it helps reduce your stress. Then, use that visualization to rephrase your thoughts. For example, instead of saying, “I’m such a failure in life,” replace it with, “I’m achieving my dreams.”
6. Put Negative Friends On Ice.
When you’re experiencing negative thoughts, you don’t want to worsen them by spending time with negative people. So, leave those negative friends on read for a while. Surround yourself with positive, upbeat people who focus on the silver lining and don’t let negativity get in their way. That’s the energy you need to cultivate in your life and head.
7. Schedule Some Time To Stress.
If you’re experiencing negative thoughts because of something in your life that’s stressing you out, pushing the thoughts aside won’t make them go away. You have to deal with the situation that’s causing them. So, according to Verywell Mind, it’s helpful to set aside some time in your day, such as 30 minutes, to deal with your thoughts. This allows you to process them without them taking over your entire day.
8. Talk Them Out.
Sometimes, it can be really helpful to get your negative thoughts out of your head…literally. So, reel in a good friend you trust and talk to them about what you’re dealing with. Discuss the thoughts that are following you around. You’ll feel so much lighter afterwards and might even wonder what you were so worried about in the first place.
9. Keep A Thought Journal.
It’s helpful to start keeping a thought journal, in which you write about your negative and intrusive thoughts. Be honest about them and see them on paper without judgement. Over time, this will help you to spot negative thought patterns and help positively change how you view situations and yourself.
10. Speak To Your Inner Child.
If your negative thoughts are making you feel bad about yourself, you’ve got to break the pattern. How? By speaking to yourself in the same way that you would speak to a child. You’d be gentle and kind with a child, right? To make this easier to do, keep a photo of yourself as a cute kid in your office or bedroom. When you talk to yourself, see yourself as that little one. Engaging in creativity can also help you access your inner child.
11. Think About Happy Times.
It can help you to squash negative thoughts by thinking about happier times. So, if you’re anxious about an upcoming exam, think about happy times in the past when you nailed tests and got straight As. This can help you reframe your thoughts, have more confidence, and be happy with where you are in life.
