Most of us spend a lot of time inside our own mind. We worry about our present, the future, and replay events from the past – often in the form of ‘what if’ statements. This negative focus can result in a generally pessimistic view of life and prevent us from enjoying experiences. This can be extremely exhausting. The habit of negative thinking can also make you feel anxious and depressed.
The good news is that with dedicated practise, you can replace negative thinking patterns with more balanced thinking. Balanced thinking promotes optimism. This can make a huge difference in your day-to-day happiness and life satisfaction.
Try these steps below to manage (decrease) your negative thoughts:
- Recognise thought distortions.
Our minds have clever and persistent ways of convincing us of things that may not really be true. These inaccurate thinking traps reinforce negative thinking. If you can recognise them, you can learn to challenge them. Here are three common thought distortions:
– Black and white thinking. Seeing everything as one way or another, without any in between.
– Filter thinking. Choosing to see only the negative side of a situation.
– Catastrophising. Assuming the worst possible outcome is going to
happen. - Distraction.
This can help to calm you when things become overwhelming. You could make a cup of tea, phone a friend or do something you enjoy, like gardening, reading, or listening to (and singing along with) music. Distraction is not a cure though. It is important to take other actions to reduce negative thinking. - Challenge negative thoughts.
Whenever you notice you are on that negative thinking hamster wheel, stop and evaluate whether your thinking is accurate. This is often framed as reality checking. Think about how you would respond if a friend spoke about herself that way. You would probably offer a good rebuttal to his or her negative view. Apply the same logic to your own thoughts. Ask yourself if you are assuming the worst will happen or blaming yourself for something that has not gone the way you wanted. Then think about other possible outcomes or reasons that something turned out differently than you hoped. - Focus on your strengths.
It’s human nature to dwell on the negative and overlook the positive. The more you can practise focusing on your strengths and not dwelling on mistakes you’ve made, the easier it will be to feel positive about yourself and the direction your life is taking. If you find yourself thinking harsh thoughts about your personality or actions, take a moment to stop and think about something you like about yourself. - Take a break from negative thoughts.
It is possible to learn how to separate from negative thoughts. To begin, choose a particular time, place, and length of time for worrying. This time, place and duration should be the same each day (e.g. 6pm, study, 20 min). As soon as you become aware of your negative focus, note your worry briefly on paper (in a couple of words only) and postpone it to the worry period. Each time you notice your thoughts wondering back, STOP and remind yourself that you have made a note, and this will be dealt with during your ‘worry time’. It can be handy to carrying a small notebook with you. - Practise gratitude.
Research shows that feeling grateful has a big impact on your levels of positivity, optimism and happiness. Even when you are experiencing a challenging time in your life, you can usually find things (even small things) to be grateful for. Noticing the things that are going well and making you feel happy will keep you in touch with them. Keeping a gratitude journal and writing a few things in it every day is one easy and effective way to do this.
How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:
- Contact us directly by calling 07 49726929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
- Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
- Visit our website and complete a ‘Contact Us’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/
Author: Suzie Humphrey