Negative thoughts never help us to live a comfortable life but always keep irritating us and increasing our confusion. Negative thoughts can destroy your mind completely.
To overcome negative thoughts, you just have to follow some simple protocols. I believe that we have to put simple little more effort to work on our negative thinking. Moreover, it is not an easy talk but still, it is possible with a positive approach.
A famous quote that we often read is ‘‘a healthy body has a healthy mind’’. So, first of all, we should take care of our health. When we will live a healthy life, it will also have a positive impact on our thoughts.
The main reason for negativity in thinking is our disordered thoughts, having a lack of certainty about various people, things, and matters. We should never believe in doubtful things. We should have a specific goal in life, this will put all our thoughts, efforts, and activities in a useful way to achieve that goal. We should make some principles for ourselves to follow them.
We should read useful books so that it broadens our mind in a way that we become more mature than before. Our thoughts should not have a foundation of assumptions but should be based upon facts and realities. Negative thoughts are nothing but negative emotions which may be insecurity, jealousy, competition, anger, and laziness.
Negative thoughts arise due to past failures or past experiences. These experiences make us fear about outcomes of various actions. Negative thoughts result in positive effects and negative effects both.
Everything in this world co-exists together. Along with good exists bad, and along with beautiful exists ugly. Happiness and sorrows reside together, and so is hope and hopelessness. Those who look only for beauty or happiness in isolation are in for disillusionment. This is the malady of life and you have to believe this.
This is the case with thoughts too. It is the nature of our mind to generate thoughts and they generate all kinds of thoughts whether it is good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful and ugly, peaceful and restless, negative and positive. Those who look only for positive thoughts in isolation are sure to get disillusioned.
It is the law of nature that whatever is nourished grows and whatever is ignored or discarded; decays. Those who struggle with negative thoughts are the ones who ‘nourish’ negative thoughts.
What can be done to overcome this?
Fortunately, the mind is only the generator of thoughts, but not the “controller of thoughts”. The controller is the “Self” within. This means that one has the power to decide which thoughts are allowed to be ‘churned” by the mind. Also, means that you can insulate yourself from the onslaught of negative thoughts.
Strategies that could help avoid, alleviate overcome negative thoughts:
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Bring in more people who are capable of putting things into perspective. When you are pursuing positivity in your life, it is important to make a clean break from all negative energy. Negative people are to be treated like a disease, no different from how you would stay away from a virally infected person. Break the cycle of negativity by cutting links with people who contribute to your negative thinking and begin surrounding yourself with more positive people.
Watch your mental digest
Stop indulging in negative media, celebrity gossip, and even conversations with friends and family who are constantly complaining. Once you get a better handle on your mindset. You will be better able to be in such surroundings without being affected, but until then stay away as much as possible. If you want to think more positively, it would be best practice to read more books, watch motivational videos, and movies and follow certain people on social media who project the mindset you are seeking to have.
Stop judging your experiences
Never judge yourself and others even you have to learn from that experiences. The more we become accepting of what has happened in our lives the quicker we can drop negative thinking as negative thinking stems from judging something as bad. Learning from your past experiences leads to a positive path.
Do Meditation
Meditating provides the opportunity to feed your mind the thoughts and mental images you would like to program yourself with. While you’re sitting silently, notice the negative thought patterns that pop up. Do not engage them but just observe them. Meditation is something that relaxes your mind and soul and stops you to think negatively.
Start saying “NO”
Start saying no to all the things and people who tend to sow negative thoughts in your mind. Engage your time in something that feels good and brings a smile to your face. Friends planning to hang out but you don’t feel like hanging out. Say no, If you are hanging out just for the sake of accompanying them when your mind is on other things, you will end up wasting your time, money, and energy. It will eventually lead to your deteriorated relations.
Appreciate yourself
Appreciating little things can lead to a positive mindset. This will help you in the hardest times of your life when you are alone in your misery and have to suffer and get over it all by yourself. Appreciate, the bravery you have shown till now in your life. It wasn’t easy, was it? Of course, “no”. Then why are you scared now? You have been through a hell of a lot of things that were more-worse than this. Then, why give up now? This too shall pass.
Spend time with your family
Family is a blessing. It is a bitter truth but believes me, no one will stand and suffer with you your hardships except your family. They have been with you and known you the longest. The family knows you the best, after yourself. Share your problems and insecurities with them. They have been through the phase you are going through right now. They will understand and connect with the “present you” better. Maybe you think some other people connect better with your situation but no one will give you as unselfish and honest advice as they will.
Recognize the pattern of these negative thoughts
The pattern means to identify the moment, time, or situation whenever you get negative thoughts so that you can work accordingly. Additionally, the fact is that when we are aware of ourselves with Dark thoughts, 90% of the problems solve instantly.
Cope with criticism
Criticism is the main thing by which a person becomes negative. When someone judges you or makes you feel bad then don’t get affected by it just think that you know yourself and you love yourself being who you are or what you have to become. Think positive and have a positive mindset.
Be happy
Happiness is the key to success. If you are happy and living your life to the fullest. Nobody can stop you. Just the physical act of smiling releases endorphins that can improve your mood. Try to laugh as often as possible. Make light of situations and trust me it will help you deal with them.
Talk it over
Don’t let the negativity consume you. Talk about it with your loved ones. Tell them what’s on your mind and how it makes you feel. Just sharing it with others and hearing things from their perspective can lift your mood and leave you feeling better.
Help someone
Take the focus away from you and do something nice for another person. I decided to make a tray of food and donate it to the needy ones. It took my mind off of things and I felt better for helping someone else. Also, I love to go to old age homes and enjoy the company of old-staggers people who shares their life experience and motivate us to stay positive in every situation.
Use humor and fun
We get very serious and stressed when we are thinking negative thoughts. Think of something funny to change the energy, or do something fun like going to a movie or having a night out with friends. Don’t let your negative thoughts have power over you. Be proactive in eliminating them.
Life isn’t perfect, but it sure is great
Our goal shouldn’t be to create a perfect life but to live an imperfect life in radical amazement. To get up every morning and take a good look around in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is extraordinary. Every day is a gift. Never treat life casually. To be spiritual in any way is to be amazed in every way.
Not everything is meant to stay
Change can be terrifying, yet all positive growth and healing require change. Sometimes you have to find the good in goodbye. Because the past is a place of reference, not a place of residence. Be strong when everything seems to be going wrong, keep taking small steps, and eventually you will find what you’re looking for. Learn to trust the journey, even when you do not understand it.
Bottom line
Enjoy the challenge of your achievements. See the value in your efforts and be patient with yourself. And realize that patience is not about waiting. It is the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard on your dreams. Chase your dreams and never give up on your dreams.
Repetition is key. We are creatures of habit so reprogramming your negative thoughts must be a deliberate and consistent process if you want to see changes take place.
