Panache

One problem in your life throws you into an abyss of black thoughts where you see no hope. You feel scared, and anxious and don’t know how to get out of that. Soon, your thoughts become your feelings that drown you much deeper.

If this has become a common occurrence, you need to get the superpower to break the chain. Read below and learn how you can take some steps and practice harnessing the power of breaking the negative thought chain.

Let us know what you do when you face the doom of negative thinking.

Understand the pattern.

When you are overwhelmed by the thoughts, it is hard to consciously think that you are spiraling down. But you need to be mindful enough to understand the pattern.

You must know what triggered the negative thoughts and how far you are going with this. Is it only a certain topic that makes you think negatively? Or are you anxious about something else that makes you think negatively about everything? Is it a person, an object, life’s circumstances, or something else?

It is important to understand the pattern to recognize and stop it. There are times when you can handle them effectively once you understand them in a better way. You just need to detach yourself from that place, person, or situation and you will feel better.

Observe yourself as a third person. (try to label your thoughts)

Who is it that has been thinking negatively for a while? Ask this question yourself. Sometimes, you know yourself so well that you can’t believe you can think negatively.

In these cases, most of the time, these thoughts are induced. You may have been overthinking a criticism, or a thought from a bully that has not become your voice. Since it is a learned behavior or thought, it may be hard to shut them off.

Firstly, you need to understand it is conditioning and you can get rid of it. Secondly, try to label these thoughts. For example, call them “dirty green goblins” thought. If they touch anything, they will spread their poison. Therefore, it is ideal to stop them from spreading.

Try to think rationally.

It is hard to put logic when you are drowning in negative thoughts. It is the last thing your mind can think of while it is gasping for some hope. But it is also the best thing you can have that can save you from spiraling down into the deep end.

Detaching yourself from negative thoughts and counter-questioning them can serve as your armor against pessimism. Try to add a “Why?” to any thought that fruits in your brain.

For example, a few years ago, I was in a dire situation as a victim of workplace bullying. My negative thoughts made me feel ashamed and I came to the conclusion that a person like me can’t survive in the monstrous world. In that moment my brain suddenly reminded me of the dialogue from the movie “Gone Girl.

The dialogue said, “Why should I die? When he is the asshole.” A swift reminder completely changed my perspective and made me feel better.

Have a broader perspective.

It is claustrophobic to be stuck in negative thoughts. When these monsters surround you, you can’t see any hope. You feel you will suffocate under the pressure of negativity. Therefore, you can’t see a ray of shine.

However, take inspiration from eagles. If they have to fly in the rain, they start flying above the clouds. All you need to do is see things in the long run. You may have the biggest problem but if you see things from a broader perspective, you might find the negative clouds subside.

You will realize that you are a tiny body in a vast universe. And your negative thoughts are nothing in front of the mysteries of the world. You can let go and feel a bit lighter.

Be present.

Mindfulness helps a lot in combating negative thoughts. Instead of following what is going on in your head. You start focusing on where you are. If you are ashamed of the past, bring yourself to the present. If you are anxious about the future, remind yourself where you are right now.

Shift your attention in the present moment. Feel the bed or chair that you are sitting on. See different things that surround you in the moment. Feel the fabric on your skin and how your skin feels when you touch it.

You can also use your senses to bring yourself in the current moment. See, feel, hear, or smell something that your mind can note. And indulge in that experience to break the chain of negative thoughts.

Write them down.

When you have been thinking negative things, you can’t make any sense out of them. These are phrases, words, sentences, and ideas. All tangled into one another. They are making you feel negative.

However, once you write them on the paper and confront them. You will realize that most of them don’t have much strength into them. They are not as powerful to create negative feelings in you. As compared to when they were in your head.

The moment you look at them being powerless on the paper, you will regain your strength. And may not fall into the same black hole again.

Also read: How cognitive journaling can change your life?

Say the thoughts out loud.

If you can’t find a paper or a pen to write these thoughts, you need to speak them out loud. Let your conscious self know, what you have been thinking. Try to give them a shape in your speech.

Sit in an empty room, and imagine yourself sitting on a podcast. Try to speak things in a mic and you will realize where were your thoughts going. You will realize what you have been thinking. You will know how your mind was flowing and how to stop it.

It can be exhausting for you. But in this way, you would stop feeling things negatively and control the endless flow of your negative thoughts.

Do one thing to solve the problem.

Sometimes, life gives you a problem so huge that you can’t see any positive end of it. You think once you follow the chain, you are doomed. And there cannot be any possible outcome. There is no solution to it.

However, you may be getting ahead of yourself. Your mind is overthinking and trying to save you from the shock and hopelessness of the negative outcome. So, you need to stop thinking and take things into action.

All you need to do is take the first step. Do not think about what you are going to do afterward. Just take the first actionable step and see how things turn out after that. You will be much more positive. And you will start thinking clearly. Instead of being clouded by negative thoughts.

Do some breathing exercises.

This is a physiological solution. All you need to do is increase the flow of oxygen towards your brain. This will not only shift your focus but also cool your brain for a while.

All you need to do is start taking slow, deep breaths. This breathing exercise will make sure that more oxygen will flow to your brain to make it function better. This will bring your attention to the present moment and calm your brain for a while.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nostrils, feel the air going inside your body and inflating your chest, hold it there for a while, and expel it through your mouth. You can feel the change instantly.

Conclusion.

The chain of negative thoughts is overwhelming but one action or a change in perspective can change the scenario in your favor. You will see the problem from different phases. You will gain some strength and feel empowered.