Our negative thoughts can seem scary or intimidating, but they can be tackled and redirected with a little understanding. Once you have learned how to identify your manner and patterns of negative thinking, you can start to reframe those thoughts by challenging them and the beliefs that reinforce them.
- Recognise the thought-loop before it starts: Once you know what kind of negative thinking you commonly engage in; you can start to recognise the triggers that bring on those defeating thought-loops. Stop the negative thoughts before they start and be honest about what brings about the worst reactions in you. Try to eliminate the factors in your environment that contribute to your negative beliefs and feelings and replace them with more positive factors that can help you channel that energy into something more efficient.
- Ask yourself probing questions: Just as you would challenge any would-be politician, challenge your own thinking and beliefs with probing questions. When you find yourself heading towards negative feedback loops, ask yourself the hard questions and really try to get to the bottom of why you feel that way. Question the experiences you have had and the assumptions you make; question your reactions and the way you view the people involved in the situation. Only when you learn how to question your emotions and thoughts can you get to the root of them. Finding solutions is not always easy. It takes time to get the answers we need, be patient and accept that any change worth having takes time. You can do this, but it is going to take some brutal honesty.
- Distract yourself: Negative thoughts do not seem to happen one at a time, they seem to happen in a cluster. When the negativity gets too strong for you to handle, switch off for a little while and give yourself the distance you need to calm down with a little distraction. Get stuck into an activity that takes your mind off of the bad thoughts and redirect your energy into something more positive. Talking to someone is a good distraction, as well as going on a brisk walk. There’s no one-size-fits all solution when it comes to distracting ourselves from bad thoughts, just try to find something that speaks to your passions in a way that makes you feel happy again.
- Replace the negative with something rational: Rather than thinking about what you are not, try thinking about what you are. Negative thoughts are often irrational and based in distortions of reality. When we replace those thoughts with positive ones, which are based on real, verifiable strengths or virtues that we have, we can combat the negative thoughts in a way that is more productive. Instead of thinking, “I’m ugly,” look through flattering pictures or focus on the parts of your body that you do like. Those are things that exist right here, right now. They are real things that we can celebrate, but we must have the courage to see them.
- Release your judgements: More often than not, our negative thoughts are a judgement; a judgement of ourselves, a judgement of others. Rather than comparing yourself to others or constantly comparing your life against some ideal, let go of your hang-ups and be more at ease with who you are and what you have. When you notice that you’re judging yourself or someone else negatively, stop, and try to look for something positive or redeeming that can help you see them, and yourself, in a different light.
- Practice gratitude: Gratitude is one of the fastest and easiest ways to challenge and undo our negative thinking. Feeling grateful can have a big impact on your happiness and can seriously affect your positivity. Even when things are going horribly wrong, looking for the silver lining can help you survive by helping you release all the old baggage that kept you feeling stuck and miserable. Noticing the things that are going well makes it possible for you to stay present in the moment and overcome whatever obstacles life has to throw at you. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to start and writing just a few things in it each day is an easy way to get back in touch with the things that you are grateful for.
Putting it all together…
It’s hard to reframe our negative thoughts and emotions, but it’s not impossible. By taking the time to learn about who we are and what we want from life, we can unlock the skills that we need to redirect our negative thoughts and channel them into positive energies.
Learn to understand your negative thinking and the shape your self-chat takes. Spend time with these thoughts and come up with healthy ways you can reshape them into attitudes and beliefs that are more in line with who you are at a core level. Reframe your negative thinking and learn how to use it for good by asking yourself the tough questions and having the courage to take charge of your own happiness.
For organisations looking for employee psychological support, FD Consultants are the trauma specialists and well-being service who will best deliver a reliable, quick, and bespoke support system in the workplace. FD Consultant’s team of accredited specialists will offer ongoing support to help manage stress, prevent burnout and provide specialist trauma care where required, enabling your staff with the tools to cope, and recover more quickly.
Please do contact us at [email protected] if you require our psychological support services, either as an individual or organisation.
