All thoughts are charged up with energy. Positive ones give us motivation and perspective to look and move forward. Naturally, negative energy might be in charge of our thoughts too. In this case, we might picture ourselves on the boxing ring fighting round after round with that persistent opponent – negative mind. Relentlessly we fall, stand up, and then we fight again. While we struggle, psychologists are coming up with new and practical techniques to tackle negative thoughts ridding our minds off that clutter we call negative thoughts. Let’s have a closer look.
4 Effective Ways to Tackle Negative Thoughts
1. Cut It Out
The moment you feel the presence of a negative thought in your mind – take action. Cut that idea out! Immediately. Refrain yourself from analyzing, arguing with it. Just cut its access to your vital energy. It will be gone in that instant. Cut it out and replace the negative thought with anything else. With some positive anchor. It might be a funny thing that happened to you years back, or a crazy anecdote your friend shared with you a couple of weeks back.
Get the positive grip and stay on it.
2. A Label Maker
I enjoy using this technique the most. Instead of cutting a negative thought out, you are distancing yourself from it. You patiently observe. You acknowledge why it came and what message it tries to depict. We observe it and give it another “meaning,” give it a label defining the negative thought. Then we put it on a distant shelf. Negative thoughts take over only if we react. Our reaction is their food. So try to make sure that no emotions are attached when a negative thinking knocks on your mind’s door. Just a simple acknowledgment. That’s all.
3. You Over Did It, Doll…
It’s simple. When a new negative thought arrives, that’s when your imagination should take the main cameo on the stage. Give your imagination the freedom to exaggerate that negative thought to the extent where it looks ridiculous, silly and even absurd! The ridiculousness will take the whole charge of energy from that thought that tried to invade your mind. In other words, make fun of that negative thought.
4. You Say, “Night,” I Say, “Day.” The Rule of Contrasts
Become a Mockingbird. If your mind sends you a negative thought that says: “there is no way your report would be a success,” replace it at that very instant with contradicting, but a positive idea: “I’m sure my report would be a success”! Do you feel the difference? When we make a mindful decision to take charge from the thought, it has no power over us. It’s just a thought. And it’s up to us whether or not to react.
Personally, I prefer playing with thoughts, observe and let them go replacing them with positive ones…
How do you normally tackle negative thoughts? Do you happen to know any effective techniques that work for you?
Please, share in a comment section below.