9 Ways to Overcome Negative Thoughts and Shift to Think Positively
By Lindsay Leimbach
Negative thoughts are like poison to your life. Negative thoughts are damaging because they affect everything that comes afterward. This includes your decisions, goals, actions, and results.
Negative thinking can impact every area of your life. It limits your effectiveness and diminishes your outlook on life. If your time is limited and your stress is high, shifting with your negative thinking will have the largest impact in the shortest time.
Take control of your thinking and be more positive:
1. Recognize your negative thought patterns. Your thoughts can be just as habitual as you reach for your phone when it dings or brushing your teeth. Notice your repetitive thoughts and when they occur. The first step to changing these thought patterns is to catch them when they first begin. This awareness is the power of Facing them. When you Face negative thinking, then you can choose to shift your thought.
2. Keep your mind in the present. Sure, you can look ahead, as needed, to make plans. But your thoughts should remain rooted in the present. Thinking about the past results in a mindset with frustration and regret will not lead you to positive solutions. Thoughts of the future with fear will cause anxiety. Keep your mind on your current surroundings and task. Being in the Present Moment is Freeing.
3. Avoid thinking of yourself as a victim. When you have the mindset of a victim, you’re dooming yourself to a plethora of negative thoughts. A victim has neither hope nor options. There are always ways to move forward. You have choices. Take this short quiz to see if you have victim thinking. https://bit.ly/30e6yAv
4. Avoid the idea that perfection is possible. Expect that you won’t be perfect at anything. When perfection is the goal, you’ll always fall short, which opens the door for negative thinking. Know you are perfectly imperfect. This self-acceptance helps you take responsibility for what you can change and “Let Go” what you cannot.
5. Ask yourself, “Do I know for certain this is a fact? Or is it just my opinion?” You don’t know as much as you think you do. You make a lot of assumptions based on faulty knowledge. This can lead to the belief that a situation is less solvable than it really is. If you don’t have accurate beliefs, you’re already at a huge disadvantage. These two reflective questions will give you self-trust to move forward.
6. Prime your mind every morning for the positive. Read positive quotes or read the Stress Shifter Transformational Calendar each day. Link to the PDF Calendar https://bit.ly/3aVpZ6T What you focus on, you will become. Make a conscious effort to Focus on what you want, not what you do not want. Empower yourself to be who you want to be every morning.
7. Make a list of affirmations and take control of your self-talk. Instead of inventing positive self-talk on the fly, have a list prepared of positive things you can say to yourself. Build your self-talk around your goals. This will double your personal power to be in the Flow of your life.
8. Spend time doing something that makes you feel good. It’s easy to have positive thoughts if you’re doing something enjoyable. For example, spend time with a good friend. Please make a list of things you like to do and spend some time each day doing at least one of them. To foster bonus positive thoughts, laugh! Enjoy yourself each day.
9. Meditate. Meditation seems to be a cure for everything. It’s one of the best ways to learn more about your thought patterns. It’s also an effective way to develop the skills needed to Face, Focus, and set your mind Free of negativities thoughts. In addition, meditation will help develop the skill of awareness and conscious focus. To learn more about the meditaion watch https://youtu.be/VOsEJM7k90s
Ep. 4 YMCA Mindfulness and Mediatation Class with Lindsay Leimbach Youtube 26 minutes This is episode 4 (not 5, I miss spoke in the video). We learn the acronym PIT STOP which is used to help medical professionals stay focused and reduce their stress. We also discuss a mindful tip which is helpful for all relationships, especially for couples.
Are your negative thoughts impacting your results and future? Negative thinking is a challenging habit to shift. Face your thoughts and defeat negative thinking before it can take root. Shift those negative thoughts with a positive alternative. Make an effort to spend some time each day enjoying yourself.
Little by little, you’ll find that you’re spending more of your time thinking positively, and your life will take a turn for the better!