10 Tips to Banish Negative Thoughts and Start Feeling Better

Negative thoughts can be incredibly harmful to our mental health. They can cause us to feel down, anxious, and stressed out. This can lead to all sorts of problems in our lives, including decreased productivity, poor decision making, and even depression. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 tips that will help you banish negative thoughts and start feeling better!

Tip #01: Acknowledge your negative thoughts.

The first step in getting rid of negative thoughts is acknowledging that they are there. This means recognizing when you are having them and what might be causing them. Once you have identified the thought, don’t try to push it away or ignore it — simply observe it without judgment or reaction.

Tip #02: Focus on the positive things in your life.

Focusing on negative thoughts can be a hard habit to break, but it’s important to remember that you have other things going for you besides being sad all of the time! Try making lists of all of these good things and writing them down so they’re always there when needed most (don’t forget about those small victories too!). Keep reminding yourself that even though life isn’t perfect, it could still be worse — much worse! Reminding yourself about everything which is great about living will help keep you strong through difficult times ahead…and don’t forget how lucky we really are sometimes because not everyone has access to clean water or basic needs!

Tip #03: Challenge your negative thoughts.

Many times, our negative thoughts are nothing more than irrational fears or worries that have been blown out of proportion. When this is the case, it’s important to challenge these thoughts by asking yourself some tough questions. Is there really a reason to be so worried? What evidence do you have that things will turn out badly? Are you being too hard on yourself? etc. By questioning your negative thoughts, you can help disprove their validity and start feeling better in the process.

Tip #04: Practice self-compassion.

When we’re feeling down, it can be easy to beat ourselves up for not being happy when life is so good. The problem with this is that putting pressure on yourself just makes the situation worse! Instead, try giving yourself some space and letting go of expectations about how you should feel or what you need to do in order get better. Beating yourself up isn’t going to help, but being kind and understanding will.

Tip #05: Avoid “shoulding” all over yourself.

One of the main reasons we feel bad about ourselves is because we are constantly putting pressure on ourselves to do things a certain way or live up to unrealistic standards. This type of thinking is known as “shoulding” all over yourself, and it can be incredibly harmful to our mental health. So next time you find yourself feeling down because you think you “should” have done something differently, try to let go of that thought and just accept things the way they are.

Tip #06: Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and focusing on our thoughts and feelings as they happen. This can be a great way to combat negative thoughts, because it allows us to observe them without judgement or reaction. When we’re mindful, we are able to see that our negative thoughts are just that — thoughts, and they don’t have to control our lives.

Tip #07: Take a break.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts, it can be helpful to take a break from whatever is causing them. This could mean taking some time for yourself, going for a walk, or just stepping away from the situation for a little while. This will give you some space to calm down and reassess things, without the added stress of negative thoughts.

Tip #08: Talk about it.

Talking about our negative thoughts can be incredibly helpful in managing them. When we share our fears or worries with someone else, we often find that they aren’t as big of a deal as we thought they were.

Tip #09: Find some humor in the situation.

Finding something to laugh about when you’re feeling down can be a great way to change your perspective on things and get rid of negative thoughts for good!

Try watching a funny show, spending time with a friend who makes you laugh, or just looking for the humor in everyday situations.

Tip #010: Get professional help if needed.

If your negative thoughts are proving to be too much for you to handle on your own, it might be time to seek out some professional help. A therapist could provide you with the tools and support you need in order to overcome your negative thoughts, and get back on the path toward happiness.

Quick overview over all the tips:

Tip #01: Choose to be happy.

Tip #02: Practice gratitude.

Tip #03: Challenge your negative thoughts.

Tip #04: Practice self-compassion.

Tip #05: Avoid “shoulding” all over yourself.

Tip #06: Practice mindfulness.

Tip #07: Take a break.

Tip #08: Talk about it.

Tip #09: Find some humor in the situation.

I hope you found these tips helpful in managing your negative thoughts!

Link to the Original Post from me on Medium: https://knowledgecollective.medium.com/10-tips-to-banish-negative-thoughts-and-start-feeling-better-5a58f7844fc6