Negative thinking can become a dangerous habit. Thoughts sink into the mind and remain there until you take action to get rid of them.
When you start to think negatively, it can be tempting to try to force those thoughts out of your head. Try to make them disappear and expel them forever. But this approach is often counterproductive.
Fighting those negative thoughts can actually reinforce that pattern of thinking by making things worse. The more you try not to think about something, the more you end up thinking about it.
To get rid of negative thoughts you need to try a different approach, something that will help you clear your mind once and for all. Here are seven ways to clear your mind of negative thoughts.
1. Change body language
Take a moment to observe your body language. Are you hunched or with a closed posture? Do you frown? If so, you will be more likely to think negatively. Improper body language can lower your self-esteem and lead to a lack of confidence. In that emotional state, it is natural to start having bad thoughts.
To feel safe you must open your posture and smile more. Correct your body language and you will feel much better. It could be just what you need to erase those negative thoughts.
2. Talk about the subject
Sometimes negative thinking appears because there are problems or emotions that you need to communicate. It is not good to keep things to yourself. If there is something that needs to be talked about, you should do it. Putting thoughts into words shapes them and makes them visible, and that will help you put the problems in perspective so you can deal with them more effectively.
3. Try to empty your mind for a minute
When your mind is running at a mile per hour it can be difficult to stay calm. In this way it is more complicated to control the thoughts, especially the negative ones. A minute of calm is often enough. Meditation can be very useful, and you should think of it as a reboot. Once the mind is empty, it can be filled with something more positive.
4. Change the focus of your thoughts
Sometimes negative thinking is the result of a bad perspective. Take a look at the point of view that you take before the things that happen around you. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m going through a difficult time and I’m having problems,” you may think, “I think I’m facing some challenges, but I’m working on finding solutions.”
Basically, you are saying the same thing, except that the second form has a more positive point of view. Often that small change of focus can make a big difference in your thinking patterns.
5. Be creative
When negative thoughts come it is very useful to find a creative outlet for those thoughts. Write things. Draw or paint something. Exploring emotions through creativity acts as self-therapy and will elevate your mood. The creativity can feel like a release. When you process your emotions through a form of art or creativity, you are breaking the habitual dynamic of your thoughts and it will be easier for you to understand and control them.
6. Take a walk
Because thoughts reside in the mind, it is easy to assume that this is where they form. But that is only partially true. Sometimes our thoughts are a product of our environment. For example, if you are surrounded by negative people, you are likely to start thinking negatively as well.
Getting away from this negative environment can help considerably. Taking a short walk with your head somewhere like a park or a museum could be enough. The time you spend away from negative influences will provide you with a necessary space of tranquility.
7. List everything worthwhile in your life
Have you forgotten all the good things around you? Sometimes, in the daily routine, we lose focus on the reasonably good things that are present in our lives. You must train your mind to return to focus on all the good that happens around you.
List each of the things you should be grateful for, no matter how small they seem to be. Do not take anything for granted in this respect. Sometimes the good things in our lives are right in front of our faces and we still can not see them. Stop being blind to all the positive things you already have.
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