How To Make Negative Thoughts Positive

Having recurring, obsessive negative thoughts can make us feel like we’re immersed in some kind of black hole. We no longer see the light and cannot help but feel hopeless. Therefore, knowledge of how to make negative thoughts positive is not just a need.

It’s a survival mechanism. Learning how to do this and applying it can help reduce anxiety. So you can get on with your life!

Trained psychologists say that having up to 3 negative thoughts a day is not a disaster. In the end, it’s not about seeing life through rosy glasses. You don’t have to avoid reality and let your fears and worries dictate your life.

What is key to this process? Don’t get caught up in thoughts that more often than not make it impossible to consider yourself capable of overcoming difficulties and growing.

Everyone has experienced this at some point. Sometimes we are haunted by thoughts like, “You’re not worth it,” “You’re not going to make it,” or “No matter how hard you try, you won’t succeed.” We are all human and it is not so strange that our thoughts sometimes get lost and hinder us.

Something the world-famous  Neuroimaging Laboratory of the University of California  showed was that everyone has about 70,000 thoughts a day. Many of these seem to be negative, limiting and frustrating in nature.

Now there is really only one thing we can do to overcome those thoughts: accept them and turn them around. Let’s see how we can turn negative thoughts into positive ones.

Learn to make negative thoughts positive

A negative emotional state feeds on the negative thoughts it produces itself. This is something that we often understand, but are not quick to notice. The reason for this is that we don’t really give ourselves the time or apply the proper strategies we need to adequately combat these harmful emotions.

For example, when we come home from work, we usually feel exhausted, bored and worried. Because of the discomfort we feel, we ignore these emotions instead of examining them thoroughly.

Some people may not agree with this, but the truth is that those black holes we sink into will only get bigger if we don’t take control of these situations.

These negative emotions change our internal emotional balance and the quality of our thoughts every day. Discomfort and frustration give way to those mental patterns that only produce negative and obsessive thoughts. If left unchecked, bigger problems such as depression or anxiety can arise.

Identify negative thoughts and accept them without resistance

In 2012,  the University of Rhode Island published a very interesting study in the  Psychology & Aging  journal. Their goal was to discover how negative thoughts affected each age group.

The results were crystal clear:  it doesn’t matter whether we are young or old. These psychological realities lead to pain and are often the trigger of all kinds of ailments.

To make negative thoughts positive, the following elements are important:

• First, it is important to  be able to identify negative dialogue. This may surprise us at first despite how obvious this step may be. More often than not we don’t realize how prone we are to obsessive, limiting and negative thoughts.

• We need to be able to track them down. A diary can be very helpful in this regard. Here you can put everything that comes to mind during the day. Either way, it will help you be more aware of your thoughts, making it easier to keep track of how you really feel.
• Don’t hide or block negative thoughts. Do your best to accept them as they are. Once you have noticed and accepted them, it will eventually be easier to transform them.

Contrast, Refute and Weaken

Is there a good reason for that negative thought? Do you have any evidence that supports what you think? You have to understand that just because you think something doesn’t mean it’s real. Our thoughts can deceive us. Our minds often play mean games with us and get carried away by fear or the need to stay in its safe zone.

Keep track of your thoughts and look for evidence that either proves or contradicts your thoughts.

Reformulate your thought process appropriately

Redefining our thoughts appropriately should lessen the negativity. Well,  it’s important to do this correctly and not to focus on naive, unrealistic positivity. Let’s list a few examples of this:

• “I’ll be fired soon.” So far there’s no evidence for this, I’ve done a good job. On the other hand, I have to be prepared in case I am surprised and it does happen. It’s important that I have a plan B in case I do get fired. For now, though, I’ll focus on my job and do it to the best of my ability.
• “I don’t think my partner loves me as much as before.”  What evidence do I actually have for this? If I really believe this, it is high time for a serious conversation with him/her. I also need to understand that relationships require a lot of effort and dedication and that a negative attitude will only make things worse.

• “I’m afraid, I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen.”  What makes me feel this way? Is something wrong in my life right now? I have to keep in mind that I’m doing quite well and the people around me seem to be doing well too. I should distract myself with something I can enjoy. Maybe I can start a new project or do something that makes me feel motivated.

Let all negative emotions come out and immerse yourself in a world of positive thoughts

We said in the beginning that emotions determine the quality of your thoughts. A good strategy for bringing your lost mind — which is already so obsessed with negative, fatalistic thoughts — back on track is to embrace positive thoughts.

You can make an overall, productive change by making small changes to your daily routine. Don’t be afraid to take a little free time. It will surely bring you some relief. Helpful acts such as mindfulness, artistic therapies, or even meeting new people each have their enriching benefits.

Our mind can become negative and destructive. When this happens, it is best to open a window to promote the influx of oxygen. Relax a little and take in a new perspective. We should learn to control our thoughts instead of letting them control us.