Note: Self-training can be effective but may not always be sufficient. If your negative thoughts have evolved into mental health disorders that you cannot manage on your own, Revive Therapeutic Services is here to assist you. Contact us today to connect with one of our professional therapists and start your journey toward better mental health.
Negative Thinking Patterns and Negative Thoughts
Our thought processes significantly shape our reactions to life’s circumstances, influencing our behaviors and overall well-being. Negative thoughts often lead to negative behaviors, a common experience for many when dealing with life's challenges. However, altering these unhealthy or unproductive thought and behavior patterns can be challenging. When these patterns solidify into habits or personality traits, they can result in relationship conflicts and diminished self-esteem. If you already have a negative thinking pattern, you might want to know how to change it. To effectively change your negative thoughts, it's essential to understand how they work. Here are some key areas to consider.
You need to know that the human brain is constantly active—not only when you're consciously paying attention or solving a problem. Whether you're driving, showering, reading, or watching TV, your mind is buzzing with hundreds of thoughts, many of which you might not even notice. Mindfulness advocates often refer to this as the "monkey mind," a term rooted in Buddhist metaphor, describing the mind’s tendency to jump from one thought to another, much like a monkey swinging from branch to branch.
4 Steps to Change Your Negative Thoughts
Taking steps to change your negative thoughts and behaviors can be crucial for personal growth, yet it can be daunting to know where to begin. Try these four steps to change your negative thoughts and behavior patterns:
1. Take a Moment to Pause
When you feel stressed, anxious, or trapped in negative thoughts, take a moment to PAUSE. Use your five senses to focus on the world around you.
2. Observe the Difference
NOTICE the difference between being lost in your thoughts and experiencing the present moment through your senses. Pay attention to what has been occupying your mind. Were you having an internal argument? Trying to counter negative or critical self-evaluations? Attempting to suppress unpleasant thoughts or images? Ask yourself if this mental struggle is benefiting you.
3. Identify Your Thoughts
If it's not, try to step back and LABEL your thoughts for what they are, rather than accepting them as literal truths. For example, slow down your thoughts and add, “I am having the thought that ….” Continue labeling your thoughts without trying to change, soften, or avoid them. Notice what it feels like to create some distance between you—the thinker—and your thoughts.
4. Set Your Intention
After you've PAUSED to break from your mental struggle, NOTICED what’s happening, and LABELED your thoughts as transient mental events, you can more easily CHOOSE your intention and the next right step. Will you continue to struggle with your thoughts? Or will you choose to take a small step toward something meaningful in your life?