How to overcome negative thoughts and feelings

When you have an anxious thought, it doesn’t mean you are an anxious person.

In the same way, having a depressive thought doesn’t make you a depressed person. Even having a horrible or mean thought doesn’t make you a horrible or mean person.

This is because you are not your thoughts. In fact, you are not your brain.

A thought is a thought, not a fact. Think about that.

If you don’t like a thought or feeling that you’re experiencing, you can change it. You have that power.

Becoming more aware of your thoughts or feelings begins with taking a step back, and tuning in. This means being able to observe instead of absorbing what’s going on in your mind and body throughout the day.

You can start by witnesses the nature of the thoughts you are having often. Some of the thoughts will be useful and others won’t be useful at all.

Begin to pay attention and notice which thoughts are serving you ie. expand you and are good to/for you, and which ones are not ie. self-defeating thoughts.

Here’s how to assess the features of a useful thought:

Awareness: These thoughts simply provide awareness of your situation and emotions. Remember: observe, don’t absorb. Just witness them.

Acceptance: These thoughts provide calm and acceptance of your current reality. No resistance. Again, bare witness without amplifying any narrative.

Action: These thoughts offer positive momentum to support you in where you want to go.

Bonus Tip:

Instead of focusing attention on all the things that are going wrong in your life, you have the power to refocus your attention on what’s ok or good in your life right now.

You can choose useful thoughts over negative thoughts. I emphasise the word choose.

In order to choose, you first need to be aware of what thoughts you are giving your focus, fuel and energy to. Remember: where focus goes, energy flows.

Because some of these thoughts may be unconscious ie. a pattern of repetitive behaviour adapted over time to buoy you through difficult or challenging times, this is where your sovereignty and maturity kicks in. Given who you are today, considering your strengths and wisdom, you have choice about whether you continue to feed these unhelpful thoughts, or shift your focus. Shifting focus takes effort and offers you new options and reality. It’s your own personal decision to view the world through a lens of love, positivity, and possibility or not. You always have choice about how you think and respond to your circumstances.

When you get in the habit of adaptive thinking, you’ll unlock a new level of potential and abundance in your life that you never knew existed.

Thinking more positively can change your life more than anything else because it’s all about you reclaiming your power to lead your life on your own terms.

The mind is a means of creation. Every thought we think creates something real and powerful.  If you allow it, your mind will create a beautiful new chapter and life for you.

May you choose a new frame and shine your light ever brightly.