How to Shift Negative Thoughts with a Personal Quality that You Choose
Thoughts aren't facts or truths. They're just thoughts. Thoughts don't exist outside our minds. Thoughts carry information. They report physical sensations and bring forth memories. Often they become stories in our heads. Our thoughts tend to occur in repeating patterns. We have the same thought over and over again. We are not these thoughts; we are the observer of our thoughts.
A negative thought refers to an idea that makes you feel bad. It's a thought that causes stress, anxiety, anger, sadness, frustration, worry, guilt, embarrassment, blame, shame, resentment, jealousy, or fear.
By accepting negative thoughts as just thoughts, we're telling ourselves that they're not real or the truth. We don't have to act on our thoughts just because we have had them. We can observe our thoughts and choose if they are productive or harmful.
With the power of choice, we can choose to shift our negative ones. We can choose a different thought that brings forth empowering personal qualities such as strength, compassion, kindness, love, or resiliency.
How to shift negative thoughts with a choice of a personal quality?
These steps can help:
1. Choose a Personal Quality that you would like to bring into your thinking daily.
2. The second step towards changing any negative thought is becoming aware of it. To Face the negative thought, you accept it without judgment.
3. Then, Focus on your feelings attached to the thought. Ask yourself, "WHAT is the reason (the trigger) I would have this feeling with this thought?" NOTE - A What question will often give you more insight than a Why question. By focusing on your thoughts and feelings, you will have insight into the root cause to make a positive Shift.
4. Free yourself to change what you can – Flip Your Script. Emotions don't just happen – they originate from thoughts, beliefs, memories, and experiences. If you want to change your feeling state, you can start by Flipping Your Script with the Personal Quality that you have chosen.
Example:
Negative Thought – “I am not smart enough. This makes me feel incompetent at work."
My Chosen Personal Quality – Kindness
Flip Your Script
New Thought – “I am kind. I will be kind to myself and not judge myself or others harshly at work.”
This thought will reinforce a positive quality and a positive shift.
Learn more in the Stress Shifter Skills Course