Negative thinking is not something to be taken lightly. Research has confirmed the effect of negative thinking on the brain and how it’s also linked to anxiety and depression. We’ve got to stop negative thinking!
You see, negative thoughts drain you, turning your brain to a dead battery! And just like a dead battery, your brain won’t have any energy left to do the things that you want to do in the first place.
Now if negative thinking becomes a habit, then worry, anxiety, and feeling like the whole world around you is falling apart becomes the norm. It’s quite a dilemma!
Personally, I Love to Teach by Example.
So here is a scenario just to paint a picture for you of how vicious negative thinking can be!
You just got to work. A place you neither love nor hate. Maybe it’s a combination of both. Anyway, today, everything seems to just go wrong. You just entered the office and immediately you run into your boss, then your boss gave you kind of an unpleasant stare. Like this one…
You immediately start worrying! OMG, what was that for? And you start with the cycle: Did I do something wrong? Did I miss a staff meeting? Then your brain goes into overdrive and you’re like OH NO!
He knows that you left work early for a vague “appointment,” but it was really to go meet friends for drinks, and now you are going to get fired.
The truth is, your boss gave you that look because he was daydreaming, and seeing you in the color red reminded him that he forgot to send his wife red roses for her birthday which is today.
The Brain Is Quite Powerful, and If You Give It a Job, It’ll Do It Well
Just look at the crazy stuff it cooked up in less than a minute simply just by your boss looking at you.
Full transparency, the example above was something that actually happened to me once when I was stuck in a negative thinking cycle back in 2009.
So, now that I made the case for how bad negative thinking can be, let’s shift gear now to how to stop that vision cycle.
Here you’ll find 10 ways to help you stop the negative thinking cycle and start feeling less anxious and more happy and confident!
1. Smile
One great way to stop negative thinking is by tricking your brain by smiling.
Yes, when you smile even if you’re feeling anxious, your brain starts to create the chemical conclusion associated with smiling. So next time you feel anxious and negative thinking take over you, stand in front of a mirror and simply force yourself to smile. It really does help change your mood and relieve stress.
2. Shift Your Focus to Others
The minute you find yourself ruminating over things, shift your focus to something productive. I find helping others by listening to them to be a great way to shift my focus from myself to be of service to others. So find a friend or a colleague who could use your help and lend a non-judgmental ear.
3. Stand Tall!
Did you know research shows that standing up straight will help you feel more confident on the outside?
Your posture actually says a lot about you, so stand up straight and square your shoulders like you have nothing to lose. You really don’t. You have everything to gain by believing in yourself.
Need more convincing, watch Amy Cuddy’s Ted talk about the power of our body language:
4. List Your Blessings
Whenever negative thinking appears in your life, there is a practice I do that I call the positive laundry listing.
I invite you for 10 minutes straight, to get a pen and paper and list as many things that you’re blessed with.
It doesn’t matter how big or small. Just shift the vibration from negative to positive by focusing on what’s already good in your life.
5. Morning Routine
The first hour of each day can make all the difference between a negative or positive day.
I personally start each day by smiling the minute I wake up, yup, I grin in bed before I get up. And let’s be real, many people didn’t wake up on that exact day, so if you happened to be alive, you’re not one of them. So you have every reason to smile! Furthermore, I have a daily routine of drinking lemon water, meditation, and journaling.
For you, set up a daily morning routine to help you get your thinking on the right track. It could be reading a book, or listening to your favorite music. It can be whatever that sets your mind on the right track!
If you need help with managing negative thinking that just seems to be too persistent, please let’s connect on a free call as I feel that my subconscious reprogramming training might be just the right thing for you. Please connect with me below:
Yes, Zane, I want to talk to you!6. Get Stretching
Take a second of your day to stretch your body.
And if you’re wondering, well, Zane, how’s that related to my mood and negative thinking? Hear me out…
When you stretch your body, more blood rushes to your body! More blood means more oxygen and more oxygen removes brain fog and other funky moods.
7. Time Yourself
Whenever you find yourself stuck in a negative cycle, practice timing yourself.
For 21 days and every day for a set period of (30 minutes) or even an hour time yourself and notice how many times you have “a negative thought” about yourself. Write it down. Begin to notice your self-talk; how harsh are you being on yourself? Is it difficult to be compassionate towards yourself or others when you are stuck in a negative cycle? Take note.
8. Change Your Environment
One of my favorite ways to change a negative thinking cycle is to change my environment.
So next time you find yourself on a negative turn, change your surroundings. So tidy up your office. Spend more time in nature. If you go to a certain coffee shop or workspace, change things up. Variety keeps the mind fresh.
9. Just Accept Praise and Acknowledgment
Do you find yourself brushing off a compliment with a negative thought?
I know that for me, in the past, way before I learned how to love and honor myself, when I used to get a compliment, I often try to brush it off by saying something negative.
Example:
Friend: Wow, that’s a really nice shirt, it looks so good on you!
Response: Oh, this old thing. Well, thanks! At least it’s clean…
Looking back at this now, “Thank you!” would’ve been the proper response.
Guys, don’t overanalyze any compliment or praise you’re getting. Simply, accept it.
10. Practice Mindfulness.
Whenever you notice your old negative thinking ways coming back, become more mindful of your thought. Simply, bring awareness to what you are thinking. Breathe in and out and say, “I am breathing in. I am breathing out.” Try this for about ten breaths until you feel present in the NOW moment. Be present, stay in the here and now, not the past or the future.
So There You Have It My Friends, 10 Ways to Help You Breakthrough Any Negative Thinking Cycles You Might Experience.
Consider this your guide to releasing those pesky negative thoughts and bring yourself to a more evolved and loving version of you who’s more confident, happy, and present!
And if life just seems to be too hard and you could talk to someone about what’s going on in your life, then please know that I am here for you! To talk, please book a FREE session with me here.
Till we connect again, have a blessed day!
Xoxo,
Zane
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