It is hard to not think of negative thoughts right now when so much of the world around us is experiencing a pandemic. Reading or watching the news, scrolling through social media, chatting with family members and not talking about COVID-19 sometimes feels impossible. It is important though to try to think positive thoughts and stop the negative thoughts. We know, easier said than done, but with these techniques, it might help you navigate your mind to a positive place during such a scary time of uncertainly about what is going to happen in the future.
4 Ways to Stop Negative Thoughts –
Positive People
It is easier to be positive when there are positive people around you. Right now, you can’t necessarily surround yourself physically with positive people but you can make sure those impacting you are positive. If there are people on social media being too negative, then it might be best to unfollow them for now. Make phone dates or video calls with people you know will be positive during the conversation is a great way to surround yourself with positive people. If you live with someone who is a bit more negative, be aware that they are and be conscious about how they are acting by being proactive to not let their mood affect you.
Physically Throw the Thought Away
This one might sound silly but it works. When you keep finding yourself battling the same negative thoughts, try writing them down. Clearing your head of a negative thought could be as easy as writing it down on a piece of paper and tossing it in the trash. The key here is throwing it away though. Don’t keep the piece of paper. You can even do this digitally by typing it out, throwing that document into your trash, and then emptying the trash.
Reframe Your Now
There is nothing we can do about being stuck at home right now. However, it is important to try not to think about it as ‘being stuck at home’. Instead, find the positive about being at home. Are there house projects you have been meaning to do? Have you been wanting to read more? Maybe you have had the desire to find a new hobby or pick up a paintbrush again. Try to find the positive in the situation and really challenge yourself.
Distract Your Mind
If you tell yourself to stop thinking about something, it is more likely that you will continue to think about it. Distraction is key. Reading can be a good distraction or watching a movie. There are also exercises like ‘going shopping in your mind’. Think about walking into a grocery store and visualizing the items on the shelf and what order they are in. If you don’t like the grocery store, then maybe you can visualize walking into your favorite shoe store and visualizing all of the shoes on the shelf. You don’t have to do it for long. Try 30 seconds or a minute, but the key is to be disciplined about it. You will want to keep doing it each time that negative thought comes back, even if that means doing it 10 times a half hour.
Meditation also helps a lot of people during a time of negative thoughts as well.
