Breaking the cycle of negative thinking?!
Question: Breaking the cycle of negative thinking!?
I was thinking about this while I was walking home from the gym today!. Why is it so easy to think about all the bad things that can happen in life, but it's so hard to think about all the great things that could happen!? I'm just curious if anyone else has ever thought about this, and if you have a solution to breaking the cycle of negative thinking, I would love to hear your input!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
You are in this cycle becaus of your genes!. We are genetically programmed to look out for the bad because it might haunt us down and kill us!.
From cavemen era fast forward a few thousand years to today :)
I have broken the cycle by ruthlessly cutting out ALL negative input!. That includes not watching most of what is on television!. And replacing it with lots of positive input!.
A daily message from www!.tut!.com, read the joke from GCFL!.net, read good and positive books, watch good movies, reading a few reviews before watching them to avoid wasting my time and precious positive brain energy on watching the wrong ones!.
My cycle back to positive started off with the first step of keeping a gratitude journal: Every morning write down 5 things to be grateful for!.
In the beginning I wrote lame things such as I am grateful that I am alive and breathing!. But with a bit of time I found many more fun things to be grateful for and before I knew it, I was doing the "write down 100 things to be grateful for" challenge!.
Now so full of positive vibes that the negative sparks bounce off of me :)Www@Answer-Health@Com
From cavemen era fast forward a few thousand years to today :)
I have broken the cycle by ruthlessly cutting out ALL negative input!. That includes not watching most of what is on television!. And replacing it with lots of positive input!.
A daily message from www!.tut!.com, read the joke from GCFL!.net, read good and positive books, watch good movies, reading a few reviews before watching them to avoid wasting my time and precious positive brain energy on watching the wrong ones!.
My cycle back to positive started off with the first step of keeping a gratitude journal: Every morning write down 5 things to be grateful for!.
In the beginning I wrote lame things such as I am grateful that I am alive and breathing!. But with a bit of time I found many more fun things to be grateful for and before I knew it, I was doing the "write down 100 things to be grateful for" challenge!.
Now so full of positive vibes that the negative sparks bounce off of me :)Www@Answer-Health@Com
For some people, it is very easy to think negative because that is what they know!. Too many of us has seen bad things happen, and has had bad things happen to us!.
If it were easy to break the cycle of negative thinking, Psychiatrists would be out of business!
I got by in this life by having faith in people and focusing on the positive and the good in them!. I also got by in having faith in myself and the good I can do for myself and others!.
Try to "re-program" your thoughts and focus on the positive!. I think this book will help!.
Everything else will fall into place!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
If it were easy to break the cycle of negative thinking, Psychiatrists would be out of business!
I got by in this life by having faith in people and focusing on the positive and the good in them!. I also got by in having faith in myself and the good I can do for myself and others!.
Try to "re-program" your thoughts and focus on the positive!. I think this book will help!.
Everything else will fall into place!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
This exercise was difficult and I had to make a very concentrated effort to actually DO it, but it worked!.
Each morning, when I am just waking up, while my eyes are still closed, I think about all the good things in my life!. Whenever a negative thought pops into my mind, I try my hardest to counter it with a positive!. I keep this thought process as long as possible!. I have gotten to where I can actually drink my first cup of coffee before a negative thought creeps in and tries to take hold!.
Throughout the day, I continue this process!. I am still working on it, it sure hasn't been perfected -- but it helps!.
At least I have gotten to the point that when a depressing memory or thought crosses my mind, I automatically counter with the positive place I am in today!. I would say that's pretty good!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Each morning, when I am just waking up, while my eyes are still closed, I think about all the good things in my life!. Whenever a negative thought pops into my mind, I try my hardest to counter it with a positive!. I keep this thought process as long as possible!. I have gotten to where I can actually drink my first cup of coffee before a negative thought creeps in and tries to take hold!.
Throughout the day, I continue this process!. I am still working on it, it sure hasn't been perfected -- but it helps!.
At least I have gotten to the point that when a depressing memory or thought crosses my mind, I automatically counter with the positive place I am in today!. I would say that's pretty good!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Some getting started suggestions:
1!. Consciously change your internal and external dialogue!.
Stop trash-talking yourself!. No self-limiting language!. No it won't seem normal and yes you will have to force it to start, but the more you do it, the more natural it will become!. As you start to communicate differently, you will start to think differently (and vice-versa)!.
2!. Hang out with different people!.
People who are productive (verses destructive) thinkers!. People who see the good!. People who find a way rather than find an excuse!. !. I don't have the time, energy or inclination to spend time with the 'woe-is-me' brigade!.
3!. Expose yourself to different (new) ideas, philosophies, thinking, cultures, environments!.
Sometimes we think the way we do 'cause we don't know any better or different!.
Enrol in a course, get a (decent) life-coach, read different stuff, do some workshops, travel!. Consciously commit yourself to life-long learning!.
The more we learn, the more doors open, the more we understand and the more we shift our thinking!.
4!. Do something you've never done - despite the fear!.
When we challenge ourselves!.!.!. and actually force ourselves to do something we've never done before (run a marathon, jump out of a plane, climb a mountain, write a book, stand up to someone, speak our mind, apologise, right a wrong, do some charity work)
!.
5!. Spend some time with people who are genuinely disadvantaged!.
Hang out with someone who has a terminal illness!.
Or someone who lives on less than two dollars a day (like more than half of the world's population do)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
1!. Consciously change your internal and external dialogue!.
Stop trash-talking yourself!. No self-limiting language!. No it won't seem normal and yes you will have to force it to start, but the more you do it, the more natural it will become!. As you start to communicate differently, you will start to think differently (and vice-versa)!.
2!. Hang out with different people!.
People who are productive (verses destructive) thinkers!. People who see the good!. People who find a way rather than find an excuse!. !. I don't have the time, energy or inclination to spend time with the 'woe-is-me' brigade!.
3!. Expose yourself to different (new) ideas, philosophies, thinking, cultures, environments!.
Sometimes we think the way we do 'cause we don't know any better or different!.
Enrol in a course, get a (decent) life-coach, read different stuff, do some workshops, travel!. Consciously commit yourself to life-long learning!.
The more we learn, the more doors open, the more we understand and the more we shift our thinking!.
4!. Do something you've never done - despite the fear!.
When we challenge ourselves!.!.!. and actually force ourselves to do something we've never done before (run a marathon, jump out of a plane, climb a mountain, write a book, stand up to someone, speak our mind, apologise, right a wrong, do some charity work)
!.
5!. Spend some time with people who are genuinely disadvantaged!.
Hang out with someone who has a terminal illness!.
Or someone who lives on less than two dollars a day (like more than half of the world's population do)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
it happens because youve programmed your mind to worry!.
the trick is to monitor your thouhts andwhen you start to think negativly think about why your having that thought!. then replace it with something more reasonable!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
the trick is to monitor your thouhts andwhen you start to think negativly think about why your having that thought!. then replace it with something more reasonable!.Www@Answer-Health@Com