5 Ways to Deal with Negative Thoughts
Let’s just admit it, if you’re human, you have negative thoughts, we all do! Some are just fleeing thoughts, some are replayed over and over in our minds, and some are even debilitating. How do these negative thoughts make you feel? Anxious? Worry? Sad? All of the above? It really depends on what kind of negative thoughts that come to mind, but all negative thoughts bring out negative feelings, right? (Yes, Yes)
And all of them could stop you at your tracks and prevent you from enjoying your life to the fullest.
Having constant negative-thoughts has negative effects on our body too. When a thought is created, that creates emotion and causes physical reaction. Our body and mind are truly connected and react accordingly. This means if we are bombarded with negative thoughts and under constant stress, our body would have negative reactions which include: stomach problems, back pain, neck & shoulder pain, high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, chronic diseases to name a few.
So this (having negative thoughts) is not something to take lightly. But how do we deal with these negative thoughts that stop us from enjoying our lives?
Here are 5 ways I find helpful to deal with the negative thoughts:
Gratitude: Yes, gratitude. The moment the negative thought comes into your mind, think of something that you’re grateful for. Find something that you can be grateful for even in the midst of a bad situation. I know it may be really really hard especially when you’re going through very tough circumstances. When my mother passed away unexpectedly, I was angry at God and couldn’t think of anything to be happy about nor thankful for. However, I decided to find something that I was grateful for. I found it. I was grateful that I got to see her before she passed away though she was asleep and couldn’t talk. Have a gratitude journal. Write 3 things you’re grateful for.
Start Recognizing the negative thoughts and reframe them: Believe or not, many of our negative thoughts are in the subconscious mind and are hidden. Start paying attention to the actual words you’re saying to yourself at the moment that negative thoughts enter your consciousness. Write down what you said to yourself. For example, let’s say you had a terrible day at work, and you said to yourself “I’m such a terrible mess! I can’t do this! I’m a horrible employee!” write these down in your own words. Then, ask yourself “Is this true?” The answer is NO. If you said “true”, then ask “is it always true?” The answer is NO, right? So, reframe these negative thoughts. If you said “I’m a terrible mess!” well, you’re not a terrible mess…..so how can you reframe that? You could say something like “I’m able to deal with any circumstances with ease.” If you said “I can’t do this!”, you could say something like “I’m capable of doing…..” Get it? Start reframing and replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
Change the channel: If you don’t like the show you’re watching on TV or Netflix, you’d change the channel, right? Do the same with the negative thoughts. Change the mind channel. Do something different. If you’re sitting down, start moving, go to the gym, or go for a walk, change the scenery and change the thoughts. Start thinking about something that you’re grateful for or something that you enjoy. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance. Pick up an uplifting book. I suggest you write down 10 things that help uplift you and keep the list somewhere handy like in the notes on your phone and do them whenever the negative thoughts start lingering in your mind.
Do something nice to yourself : Give yourself some love. Self-care isn’t selfish. You don’t have to do anything extravagant. You could take a long relaxing bath, get some massage, watch a funny movie and have a good belly laugh, etc are great things to do. Just telling yourself some nice & kind words is just as important and effective! Like I mentioned on #3, do something that uplift you or something nice and kind to yourself.
Let go of perfectionism, judgment and comparison: Are you expecting perfection from others and yourself? Are you judging others or yourself for not meeting your expectation to be perfect? Do you always assume the worst? Let it go! No one is perfect, even you. So you might as well let it go and be kind to yourself. Matthew 7:1-5 says “don’t judge others…..” that includes ourselves. I know we all judge one way or another, but usually not done consciously. When we compare ourselves to others, that leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction. To let go, you first have to catch yourself being frustrated trying to be perfect, being judgmental, and comparing yourself to others. It’s not easy, but it’s totally do-able. Catch yourself and let it go. And go one step further and try to find a positive in the person or situation you’re negatively judging. When you do, you will feel more at peace and at ease.
I’m sure there are more ways to deal with negative thoughts. What have you found helpful in dealing with negative thoughts?
PS: In my signature program, GRACE Academy, I go deeper into negative thoughts at subconscious level and reprogram them. If you’d like to know more, let’s get on a call. Book a call here: =>https://revelationwithmiki.as.me/GetToKnowYou