3 Simple Ways To Stop Negative Thoughts And Replace Them With Goodness
They come so easy and always seem to overwhelm the mind at the most inconvenient of times (cough when trying to fall asleep at night cough), we’re talking about negative thoughts.
Here’s the deal, nothing good ever comes from focusing on negativity. It’s not productive or impactful, and just leads to…you guessed it! MORE negativity! Even worse than mulling over everything that brings you even the slightest dissatisfaction, is spewing that energy-sucking jargon to your peers. It’s not a good look, people! So, how do you quit this nasty habit you may ask?
Look no further as we break down 3 simple ways to stop negative thoughts and replace them with goodness.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE CONSISTENTLY
Consistency is key! Your brain is like a muscle, it needs to be exercised every day in order for it to be healthy. Before you do anything else in the morning, grab a piece of paper and scribble down a few things you’re grateful for. This will start the day off on a high and set the tone for a positive day.
We also suggest doing the practice at night before bed, thus putting your brain in a happy mindset before peacefully falling asleep. Throughout the day, if you catch yourself complaining or having bad thoughts, actively shift your mindset gears, and start rattling off the little things around you that you’re grateful for.
If you’re consistent, it will start to come naturally and negative thoughts will dissipate more and more.
DO MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE
There’s always going to be some sort of stress, pain, or inconvenience appearing in your life. However, you are in control of how you spend your time and energy. Dedicate time every single day to doing something that makes you happy.
Maybe that’s going on a walk by yourself, talking to your best friend on the phone, or cooking in your kitchen with the music turned up. Identify when you are the happiest and most relaxed, then implement those activities into your daily life. Prioritize it, schedule it, pencil it in, or whatever you need to do to make sure it happens.
More time spent doing things that make your brain happy = less time to wallow in negative thoughts.
CLEANSE YOUR LIFE OF ENERGY-SUCKERS
There are people, habits, and even items in your life that are weighing you down in some way. Consider what brings you stress and therefore does not impact your life in a positive way. Be cutthroat and mature enough to realize that we all inevitably outgrow relationships and practices that served us when we were in a different phase of life.
Stop committing to plans with people you don’t care to see, delete the social media apps that lead you to comparing yourself to others, and throw out the clutter in your space that you have no use for. It can be challenging at first but the payoff is worth it.
You will have more time to focus on what brings you joy and more space in your mind for good thoughts.