Since we spend most of our time in our minds it’s only natural that we spend our time thinking of past incidents that didn’t go as planned. Or we spend our time thinking if our future will pan out the way we want. Since neither of these aspects is in our control, it adds a lot of pressure to one’s mind. It can make one anxious and angry and really suck the joy out of life. Negative thoughts about our life can really prevent us from enjoying life to its fullest because it is distracting us from what is truly important.
If you peer through your past you will realize that a lot of the pain you experienced back then was simply because you focused on the negative thoughts and that prolonged the negative experience. You felt dissatisfied then and you look back feeling even more dissatisfied. But what if you looked at past experiences as something to learn and grown from? You might stand the chance to convert a negative memory into a more positive one. That is why it is so important to learn how to deal with negative thoughts and emotions. Scroll on for more.
Here are 7 ways you can eliminate negative thoughts:
1) Consciously pay attention to your thoughts.
It’s easy to move on from thoughts when you realise how fleeting in nature they are. All you have to do is consciously catch yourself going down the rabbit hole and try and stop it. Don’t let negative thoughts overpower your mind, try countering them with an immediate positive thought.
2) Keep yourself busy.
They say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, so truth be told it’s oftentimes better to keep yourself occupied with tasks. Now I don’t mean you have to fill every minute of every day, you just need to do something that will take your mind away from the negative thoughts. Pick up a hobby, clean, organise, just keep busy and keep your negative thoughts at bay.
3) Try not to interact with anything that triggers you.
Firstly identify your triggers, this could really help you in minimising the number of negative thoughts you have to deal with. Your triggers could be people, violence, rude comments, bully’s are just a few examples. Just be honest with yourself when trying to identify these triggers
4) Keep yourself active and fit.
Working out releases happy endorphins and of course, it will keep you healthy and fit of mind and body. This will inevitably decrease your negative thoughts.
5) Decompress with music or your favourite form of visual aid.
Listening to music can instantly lift your mood, similarly watching your favourite TV show or movie can raise your mood effectively. If you’re experiencing negative thoughts, turn on your favourite tunes, show or movie and tune out all the noise.
6) Get enough rest.
Lack of sleep and relaxation can really adversely affect one’s mood and can cause irritability, anxiousness and anger. Take a warm shower, get those soft eye-shades to block out any light. Just take that break that you’re craving.
7) Practise gratitude.
Nothing sets us on the right path quite like maintaining a gratitude list. You become so intrinsically aware of all the good things in your life that it’s hard to experience negative thoughts after that. Even if you list out 3 things every night, you’re blessed. Recognise that and allow yourself to limit and trim the negativity in your life.
What are some things you do to eliminate negative thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
Join Malini’s Girl Tribe to be a part of the conversation.
Explore the app