Understanding our thoughts and their influence is the crucial first step to improving our relationship with them.
The way we engage with our thoughts significantly affects how our day goes and shapes our responses to life’s challenges. By taking a few mindful moments, we create distance between ourselves and our reactions, allowing us to break free from our triggers—we aren’t locked into the same responses every time. This practice helps disrupt our automatic negative reactions by first noticing how a thought or situation impacts our feelings and sparks certain narratives in our minds. We can pause and realize: that’s not necessarily a solid fact—it’s merely a thought. From this awareness, we can become more mindful about our negative thinking.
Try these three straightforward methods to help alter your relationship with specific thought patterns. Let your own experiences guide you.
3 Methods to Change Negative Thoughts
1. Acknowledge the Thought: If your thought is something like I’m not good enough, life isn’t going to improve, or involves complaining or blaming, take a moment to recognize that this thought is cropping up in your mind. Being aware of our negative thoughts is the essential first step.
2. Calm Your Body and Let Go of the Thinking: When negative thoughts arise, your body reacts too. You may find yourself in a fight-or-flight state, so pause and allow yourself to relax. Through mindful breathing, use your out-breath to release not just physical tension but also any negative thoughts. You can visualize those negative thoughts exiting your body with each exhale.
3. Identify a Positive Aspect: Now that you’ve created some space from your negative thoughts, take a moment to reflect: What’s going well at this moment? Consider what’s positive in your life right now. It might be that you are safe, your body is functioning well, you have reliable friends, or you have a job—whatever it may be, try to mention a few positive things, acknowledge them, and spend a little time appreciating them.
Keep practicing these three techniques repeatedly as a form of experimentation. What you practice regularly tends to become more natural over time.