How to Cope With Negative Thoughts

At times, we may suffer from negative thoughts. They can be triggered by trivial things or may result from an internalized pattern of criticism that you experienced as a child. We control the outcome of our lives with our attitude, which is why negative thinking can undermine us. Follow these steps to cope with this problem.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Notebook
• Pen
• Magazine pictures
• Glue

1. Keep a journal of your negative thoughts. Glue attractive pictures from magazines on the cover. That sends your unconscious the message that this is a healing tool.
2. Examine the language of your negative thoughts. Words like "never, s in "I never do well," or "all the time," as in "this happens to me all the time," are common. So are generalizations like "All people are selfish" or "No one likes me."
3. Apply logic to these generalizations. Remind yourself that if all people are selfish, that means you are too. Question whether something actually can last forever, can really never happen or really occurs all the time.
4. Have a dialogue with your negative thoughts. Identify the voice that's making the assertion because often it'll be someone who made you feel small or belittled your accomplishments in the past.
5. Get angry at the voice. Tell it off by offering evidence that what it says can't be true. Write a letter to the voice expressing how you feel. You can formulate your argument as a dialogue if that's a more helpful way to get rid of the negativity.
6. Eat healthy. Our body and mind are linked. Fatty, sugary, processed foods weaken our ability to deal with negative thoughts. They make us lose focus and believe our irrational feelings.
7. Practice meditation daily. Besides the health benefits you get, which help you cope with negative thoughts, you program yourself to relax automatically. You train yourself to breathe deeper and fall into a quieter state when you feel anxiety coming on.

Tips & Warnings

• Trying to stop the negative thoughts only keeps them coming back.
• Seek counseling if you have suicidal thoughts.