Since we spend most of our time in our minds, it is natural that we spend our time thinking about past events that did not go according to plan. Or we spend our time wondering whether our future will develop as we wish. Since none of these aspects are under our control, it puts a lot of pressure on one’s mind. It can make someone anxious and angry and really get ****joy from life. Negative thoughts about our life can actually prevent us from enjoying life to the fullest because it is distracting us from what is really important.
If you look back on your past you will realize that the pain you experienced was simply because you focused on negative thoughts and this prolonged the negative experience. You felt dissatisfied then and you look back feeling even more dissatisfied. But what if you look at past experiences as something to learn and grow? You may have the opportunity to turn a negative memory into a more positive memory. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to deal with negative thoughts and feelings. Scroll for more.
Here are 7 ways you can eliminate negative thoughts:
1. Consciously pay attention to your thoughts.
It’s easy to move on from thoughts when you realize how fleeting they are in nature. All you have to do is consciously catch yourself going down the rabbit hole and try and stop it. Do not let negative thoughts dominate your mind, try to counter them with positive thoughts immediately.
2. Keep yourself busy.
They say that a passive mind is the workshop of the devil, so truth be told, sometimes it is better to keep yourself busy with tasks. Now I don’t mean that you have to fill every minute of every day, you just need to do something that takes your mind away from negative thoughts. Pick up a hobby, clean up, organize, just keep busy and keep your negative thoughts away.
3. Try not to interact with anything that triggers you.
Identifying your triggers first can really help you reduce the number of negative thoughts you have to deal with. Your triggers can be people, violence, rude comments, bullying are some examples. Just be honest with yourself when trying to identify these triggers.
4. Keep yourself active and fit.
Working out releases happy endorphins and of course, it will keep you healthy and fit with body and mind. This will essentially reduce your negative thoughts.
5. Decompress with your favorite form of music or visual aid.
Listening to music can lift your mood instantly, similarly watching your favorite TV show or movie can boost your mood effectively. If you’re experiencing negative thoughts, turn on your favorite tunes, show or movie and tune out all the noise.
6. Get enough rest.
Sleep deprivation and relaxation can actually adversely affect one’s mood and cause irritability, anxiety and anger. Take a warm shower, block out any light to get those soft eye shades. Just take the break you’ve been craving.
7. Practice gratitude.
Nothing keeps us on the right track like maintaining a gratitude list. You become so intrinsically aware of all the good things in your life that it becomes difficult to experience negative thoughts after that. Even if you list 3 things every night, you are blessed. Recognize this and allow yourself to limit and trim the negativity in your life.