Do you often catch yourself having negative thoughts, or even worse, allowing them to consume you? Are you stuck in ruminating about what went wrong? Here are three tips that can help you reframe your mind out of this vicious cycle…
Understand that everything is neutral
Believe it or not, we are the ones who attribute meaning to all that exists. This means that we also decide what is positive and what is negative. Once the label is attached to situations, they dictate the effect that these events have on our life.
Reframe the meaning of Positivity and Negativity
Let’s go back to the basics of linguistics and psychology. We have been defining the terms ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ in the incorrect manner. Negative does not mean bad and positive is not equivalent to good. When we define something to be ‘negative’, we simply imply that it is a block or we see it from a ‘segregating’ angle. On the other hand, when we have the perception that something is ‘positive’, it subconsciously becomes ‘integrative’. By interpreting an event or a situation to be negative, we manifest a blockage that hinders our growth and evolution. Therefore, it affects our thoughts and behavior. What you can do is shift your perception of what you consider negative. Instead of considering it a blockage in your life, transform it into a diversion on the path of life which will take you to a better place. Believe that everything happens for a reason and perceive the event to be part of a process.
Question your thoughts
Try to find the rationale behind the crippling thoughts you have. Stop the movie that you continuously play in your mind and start asking how this event can serve you and what lessons can you learn out of it.
(Credit: Mai Elsayed, a clinical hypnotherapist)
