Sunday Mirror - Tips on how to combat negative thoughts
Sunday Mirror journalist is looking for tips from an expert on how to tackle negative thoughts.
Please give me 3 tips max.
Copy article
4 responses from the Newspage communityCopy all
Copy all
Copy
Negative thoughts can have a crippling effect on our mental health and wellbeing, often making us feel completely lost and hopeless. A simple but highly effective way to combat negative thoughts is by actively practicing gratitude.
An attitude of gratitude has huge capability to shift our overall mindset for the better. All too often human nature leads us to focus on ‘what’s wrong’ instead of what went right, or how lucky we are. Practice keeping a gratitude journal and at the end of each day list 5 to 10 things you feel grateful for. This could include items as simple as time for a relaxing dog walk in nature, not hitting traffic when you were in a rush, to enjoying a tasty meal with your family in the evening. You could even do this as notes on your phone each day, if pen to paper is not for you.
Feeling grateful helps you feel present and loving, and less likely to feel affected negatively by internal bad thoughts or challenging outside circumstances.
An attitude of gratitude has huge capability to shift our overall mindset for the better. All too often human nature leads us to focus on ‘what’s wrong’ instead of what went right, or how lucky we are. Practice keeping a gratitude journal and at the end of each day list 5 to 10 things you feel grateful for. This could include items as simple as time for a relaxing dog walk in nature, not hitting traffic when you were in a rush, to enjoying a tasty meal with your family in the evening. You could even do this as notes on your phone each day, if pen to paper is not for you.
Feeling grateful helps you feel present and loving, and less likely to feel affected negatively by internal bad thoughts or challenging outside circumstances.
Copy
Negative thoughts can be challenging to deal with, but there are some techniques that may help you tackle them:
The first step is to recognise when you are having negative thoughts. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings, and identify when negative thoughts arise.
Once you've identified the negative thoughts, try to challenge them. Ask yourself if the thoughts are based on facts or assumptions. If they are assumptions, ask yourself if they are valid. Try to see the situation from a different perspective and find evidence to counteract the negative thoughts.
Reframe negative thoughts into more positive ones and seek the positive from negative events. If it helps, imagine how a friend might respond if you shared the negative thought with them.
Tackling negative thoughts takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and continue to work on developing positive thinking habits.
The first step is to recognise when you are having negative thoughts. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings, and identify when negative thoughts arise.
Once you've identified the negative thoughts, try to challenge them. Ask yourself if the thoughts are based on facts or assumptions. If they are assumptions, ask yourself if they are valid. Try to see the situation from a different perspective and find evidence to counteract the negative thoughts.
Reframe negative thoughts into more positive ones and seek the positive from negative events. If it helps, imagine how a friend might respond if you shared the negative thought with them.
Tackling negative thoughts takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and continue to work on developing positive thinking habits.
Copy
Overly negative thinking is common at times of stress and challenge . These thoughts are often fleeting and can easily go unnoticed. However, they significantly impact emotions, physiology and behaviour to produce the fight/flight response. Bringing negative thoughts, such as self-criticism or catastrophising into focus is the first step to reducing their impact.
1. Notice negative thoughts and write them down
2. Analyse each thought: Is it true or based on evidence? Or are you making an assumption?
3. Try to develop a more balanced perspective by talking through your thoughts with a trusted friend. Assess the evidence for and against the thought. Do the facts of the situation back up the thought or is there an alternative way to view it?
Gaining a more balanced perspective will have a positive impact on your emotions, calming stress symptoms and helping you to take measured action to address the challenges you are facing.
1. Notice negative thoughts and write them down
2. Analyse each thought: Is it true or based on evidence? Or are you making an assumption?
3. Try to develop a more balanced perspective by talking through your thoughts with a trusted friend. Assess the evidence for and against the thought. Do the facts of the situation back up the thought or is there an alternative way to view it?
Gaining a more balanced perspective will have a positive impact on your emotions, calming stress symptoms and helping you to take measured action to address the challenges you are facing.
Copy
Negative thoughts? I'm sure we've all had them occupying our minds.
My practical, in-the-moment tip is to tell yourself 'STOP' and not let your thoughts wander any further; also bring in a gesture, like knocking on wood or briefly pinching yourself to signal your body AND your mind, to stop this thought.
And as we are talking about the mind-body connection, my recommendation for more resilience is to learn and practise TRE (Tension Releasing Exercises) – a somatic stress-release tool that can also down-regulate the nervous system so one can become calmer and more relaxed.
Bye-bye negative thoughts.
It's a fact that most of what worries us at one stage doesn't become reality. And while I am not dismissing actual worries, it's about how much room we give them in our constantly busy minds. Finally, remember to ask for help if things get too much, it's brave, so be brave.
My practical, in-the-moment tip is to tell yourself 'STOP' and not let your thoughts wander any further; also bring in a gesture, like knocking on wood or briefly pinching yourself to signal your body AND your mind, to stop this thought.
And as we are talking about the mind-body connection, my recommendation for more resilience is to learn and practise TRE (Tension Releasing Exercises) – a somatic stress-release tool that can also down-regulate the nervous system so one can become calmer and more relaxed.
Bye-bye negative thoughts.
It's a fact that most of what worries us at one stage doesn't become reality. And while I am not dismissing actual worries, it's about how much room we give them in our constantly busy minds. Finally, remember to ask for help if things get too much, it's brave, so be brave.