You hear a lot about negative thoughts and how they shape your mindset, but the real issue is that there are a lot of different types of negative thoughts. All of them can cause issues, such as anxiety, but each of them also needs to be fixed in its own distinct way. Let’s take a look at some of these that you may have entertained throughout your life and what you can do so that they’re less damaging.
Those About Yourself
Negative self-talk leads to a very self-limiting mindset. This cycle causes you to think about traits you don’t have or like about yourself. Sometimes you may even start finding reasons why you can’t achieve the desired goal.
Unfortunately, this results in you feeling bad and reinforcing your negative thoughts. Psychiatrists have discovered when you start to label yourself with a fixed set of traits you start focusing on your limitations which results in anxiety and the belief that you’re unable to change.
The best way to change your internal conversation is by acknowledging your limits and then begin focusing on ways that you can improve upon them. By believing you can grow and then focusing on the ways you can grow you’ll start feeling more energized in difficult situations instead of allowing them to zap your energy.
Those About Things You’re Involved In
Sometimes your negative thoughts are about a project you’re working on. When you start something that you believe you’ll be successful with, you’ll feel energized. However, when you’re faced with a task that you believe is impossible you’ll experience a lot of anxiety which will zap your energy.
While it’s natural to focus on those things that you haven’t yet achieved, you don’t want your thoughts to be consumed with the overall scope of the project. Instead, you need to change your mindset so that you only think about small, achievable tasks. This will help you find the energy to make the necessary progress.
Those That Reflect Anxiety
When you’re experiencing anxiety you start a process that’s known as “rumination.” This happens when your mindset becomes fixated on what’s causing you to feel anxious. To stop this cycle of negative thoughts, engage in some physical activity. Doing so makes it hard to concentrate on your negative thoughts. Afterward, create a list of the positive things that are happening in your life and the people around you for whom you’re grateful. The next time you start ruminating try to focus on these things instead. The goal here is for you to develop a habit of focusing on the positive things in your life when you’re tempted to dwell on what’s going wrong.
Those Regarding Your Actions and Habits
Another type of negative thoughts are those that arise when you need to break a habit. Most people find themselves focusing more on the habit when this time comes. When you do this you’re increasing the motivation to perform the habit even though your goal is to stop doing it.
The main problem that lies at the root of things here with changing these habits is that your brain is programmed to act. Therefore you’re working against your brain whenever you try to stop doing something. The best way to counteract this is to focus on what you want to do instead of focusing on the habit you’re trying to stop doing. So, if you’re tempted to stop smoking you’ll want to focus on something positive like taking a walk instead. By doing this you’ll stop telling yourself “don’t do this,” and start telling yourself “do this instead.”
Managing Your Thoughts
When negative thoughts weigh heavily on your mindset it’s common to react with anxiety. While you can help yourself with this, sometimes you’ll find that you need a little extra help to see you through rough times and help you develop a more positive mindset.
If you need some help dealing with any of these things, we want you to know that we’re here for you at TMS Advantage Clearwater in Clearwater, FL. Regardless of what trauma you’re experiencing or how negatively you’re feeling about things, contact us today so we can help you get on a better path towards wellness.
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