5 Ways to Dismiss Negative Thinking

Driving away negative thoughts doesn’t require as much effort as you may think it does you just need to commit to developing a clear game plan for dismissing them and practising the new techniques regularly to keep them gone for good. Below are 5 ways to dismiss negative thinking and focus on the positives...

#1: Admit you have a problem ~It can be downright impossible to do self-reflection on this topic, because we often don’t pay attention to your own words or body language. One helpful way to gauge your level of self-defeatist attitude and negativity is to create a chart with two sides. On one side, write down all you positive thoughts that day. On the other, write down all your negative thoughts. You’ll be amazed by how much negativity the average person keeps in their head.

#2: Get moving ~ Getting your body moving is great for changing your mood and your thoughts. You can try increasing your daily activity by taking a brisk walk, doing some jumping jacks, skipping or dancing. Or you can simply turn on your favourite music and dance as if no ones watching for a few minutes around your living or in your kitchen and see if you’re feeling negative afterwards.

#3: Practice Gratitude ~ If making a list of your thoughts was the first step to recognizing your negativity problem, building a positive list could be the first step toward solving it. Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for. If you're having trouble coming up with a list start by being thankful first thing in the morning for the blessing of a new day, your loved ones, about your breath, your hearing , your sight, and all the household amenities we take for granted such as clean running water and electricity. Look around your home with fresh eyes once your start writing your list out, you will find that it snowballs and fills your mind with positivity.

#4: Change how you speak ~ Take stock of the words and phrases you use regularly, as you did in point #1. Eliminate negative phrases and words from your speech, and watch your thoughts change as well. You should also take note of your body language and posture. Avoid slouching, and above all, smile!

#5: Talk about it ~ Find a friend, family member, counsellor, life coach or helpful ear that you trust that will listen to your problems without judgement, and without recommendation (unless you want it). Once you've reached out and confide in someone, you’ll find yourself less overwhelmed with any negative thinking.

You could also pray, journal, or craft an art project that you love and in which you will find your flow as these are all great at helping us to release negative feelings.

Listen to episode 8 of the #ItsTimeToThrive podcast HERE for more on the 5 Ways to Dismiss Negative Thinking

By| womenwhoslay @womenwhoslay