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We all have them…
So you wanna know how to overcome negative thoughts?
I used to be the queen of negative thoughts. So much so, that it stopped me from pursuing a lot of my goals because my thoughts took control over me. It caused me to have so much self-doubt and be so insecure about myself. Things that I know I was very much capable of doing and succeeding in, I never started because with my negative thinking, I never gave myself a chance.
Things like “girl, why would you even set that goal for yourself? You know you’re just gonna quit and waste your time” or “you may as well eat the cookies and junk food. You’re already fat and it’s not like you’re gonna lose any weight”, would be normal conversations I would have with myself.
You may be shocked to know that negative thinking is much more common than you assume. Many of us, especially women, are subjected to this every day. Therefore, it is essential to understand what they are, where they come from, and how to cope with them to succeed.
Change those thoughts for good
If you want to change your negative thoughts, you first need to understand how you think and why you think the way you do, then use strategies to modify your thinking or to overcome your negative thoughts.
Most of the time, these steps are performed together with a therapist but may also be employed to overcome social anxiety. Listed below are the most effective strategies for improving your life and to help you stop your negative thoughts.
1. Smile
I love to pull myself in front of a mirror and just smile. It helps to change your attitude and alleviate anxiety. I also feel lighter since smiling utilizes fewer muscles than frowning, which is a good thing.
2. Create New Routines
Personally, one routine that I’ve created is when I wake up in the morning I meditate and focus on the person I want to be and the type of life that I want to live. I also set some key goals to assist me in sustaining my progress towards my aims. When you know what you want and strive towards it every day, negativity begins to disappear.
3. Meditate
Although I’m no expert at this and I’m still learning, this activity distracts my focus from my thoughts and helps me connect with my inner self. Meditation is also quite soothing, which has helped my mental well-being. When I practice meditation, I tend to find inner peace, which in turn helps rid my mind of negative emotions and thoughts.
4. Surround Yourself With Positive People
I love to call on friends who I know will listen to what I’m going through when I have a problem, and not be so “judgy”. When you’re in a negative spiral, talk to friends or individuals who can help you put things in perspective and who won’t encourage you to go on thinking badly.
5. Rearrange Negative Thoughts to make them Positive
This is something that took some time for me to learn. I now do it with ease. When I find myself thinking negatively, I stop myself in the middle of the thought and change it into a more positive thought. Rather than thinking, “OMG! This is too hard and I’m no good at this, I might as well just quit.” consider, “This is hard but if I keep going and be patient with myself, I’ll get better at it.”
6. Get Out of your feelings
Know that you are in control of your emotions and they don’t control you! You have the power to change the way you think and feel. Don’t take things so personally and know when to express yourself. Sometimes you just have to check yourself, recognize what you’re feeling, and overcome it. Feeling down and sorry for yourself won’t change anything. This is something I had to realize when I have the “woe is me” mentality.
7. Exercise
Exercise could be great for helping to overcome negative thoughts because it helps to reduce stress and anxiety with could lead to better thinking and more relaxation.
8. Stop Beating Yourself Up. No One is Perfect!
It’s easy to get caught up in your mistakes. Just know that making mistakes is a part of life and you’re only human so you’re bound to a mistake or two. The only thing you can do is learn from them and move on. I use to get so discouraged from mistakes and wrong choices I have made but over time, I stopped moping about them and just recognized what I needed to do to improve.
9. Practice Gratitude
Gratitude enables you to appreciate what you have in your life. The majority of people underestimate gratitude, but it is essential to have a happy life. Keep a detailed list of everything you’re grateful for and refer to it every day. Focus on what you have and be thankful for it. I like to write my list inside my prayer journal.
10. Say Affirmations
I tend to place post-its with positive quotes on my bathroom mirror. I love to say them in the morning when I’m doing my skincare or combing my hair. Affirmations can help with self-sabotaging thoughts when you repeat them often and believe in them.
11. Limit Time on Social Media
Limiting time on social media can help you overcome negative thoughts because we tend to compare what we see on social media to our own lives. Leaving you to believe your life or appearance is inadequate. It might be helpful to take a complete break from social media to help you focus on yourself more.
12. Make A List of Goals and Stick To Them
Make a list of goals you would like to achieve. Make an action plan for them. Having goals and something to work towards can help with negative thinking by helping to change your negative mindset to focus on positive things you would like to accomplish.
13. Start Being Intentional
A productive way is to recognize the negative thinking and to take a minute to rethink it. Then, decide to practice being kind to yourself. Practice this every day so that it becomes normal for you.
14. Sing
Yes, sing! Although I don’t have the best voice (I like to think I sound pretty decent though, lol), when I sing, I always feel better. I love to sing loud the lyrics to songs that are great for uplifting my mood. When we sing, we communicate our feelings, which have proven to be an effective stress alleviator.
Last Thoughts
The more you accept your negative beliefs, the stronger they develop in your mind and body. There are many strategies to help with changing a negative mindset into a more positive mind but it takes time, consistency, and being patient with yourself. By being kind to yourself and believing in yourself, it’s achievable.
In my own life, I’ve seen firsthand how things may change, how to develop inner peace, and how to achieve a whole, meaningful, and fulfilling lifestyle. Please know that if you are suffering from negative thoughts, you CAN change your mindset to have more positive thoughts.
If you found this information helpful, please head over to my blog section and check out other posts you may find informative.
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