Controlling Negative Thoughts
Hindsight is always 20/20 and the grass is supposedly greener on the other side. But what if I told you that the grass is greener right here, right where you are? That’s right! There are ways to gain peace of mind with your current life circumstances and feel ownership of the things you want out of your life.
Refocusing Your Thoughts
Letting go of negative narratives is the way to reframe your life for the best version of yourself. Contrary to a popular belief, you do not have to live your life feeling stuck or unhappy. Fulfillment and success can be right around the corner. To do that let’s explore refocusing your thoughts to let go of harmful narratives that may be holding you back from your best life yet.
My certifications in CliftonStrengths®, EQ-I 2.0, and Situational Leadership® made me think about all the women who need guidance outside of the corporate world. Which lead me to creating the Reframe Mastery Kickstarter e-course. I truly believe you have the power to transform your life and turn negativity into positivity. Doing so does not have to be a toxic process where you ignore the bad things happening in your life, and pretending they do not exist. Gratitude can coexist with frustration and upsettedness, but those negative feelings do not have to dominate your headspace when you are in control of your thoughts.
You Have the Power to Control Your Thoughts
Furthermore, in order to let go, you must first compile what you want to let go of. What’s got you down these days? What keeps you from believing that your power is not yours to take?
Perhaps it may be easier to reflect on harmful narratives by exploring what causes or perpetuates them:
Lack of self-confidence
Burnout
Feeling pulled in too many directions
Not feeling valued
Poor habits or time management
Not prioritizing yourself and your needs, and many more.
When the world feels like it is constantly crashing down, it is tempting to believe that it is you versus everyone else. It is even easier to get pulled into that narrative without being able to escape it. So, instead of focusing on what you do not have, reframe those thoughts into what you do have, what you love, and what you can do to make positive changes in your life.
How to Practice Gratitude + Control Negative Thoughts
How can showing appreciation coexist with acknowledging negativity? They coexist as long as one does not take away from the other. In order to be in control of your thoughts, you have to recognize they all exist – yes, even the bad ones. For example, if you are feeling stuck in your job and unsure of what to do next, empower yourself to write down what works and what doesn’t. Do the things that work for you have anything to do with your job or with who you are as a person? In contrast, can you change or let go of what isn’t working for you?
Practicing gratitude in this situation can look like being thankful you are employed and earning income to support your needs. At the same time, it might look like you are also seeking positive improvement and implementing change. Only you can decide what is best for you, so clear your mind and let it all go to live the best version of your life. You do not actually owe it to anyone else to choose yourself second.
Let It Go
Practice letting negative thoughts go by pausing to feel them in the moment they exist and then assess how much they actually matter. How much do they matter at the moment? In 5 minutes? How about in an hour? Or a year from now? You should only give as much energy to negative thoughts as they give back to you. A weird concept, yes, but negativity has only as much power over your life as you give it.
Take the First Step to a Positive Life
Progress comes in the form of a journey. There is always a starting line, and sometimes you just need to take the first step to find one. When the negative thoughts come creeping in, thank them for coming and wish them well on their way out. If you are interested in learning more about how to control negative thoughts for a better you, just know doing so is absolutely within your reach. The Reframe Mastery Kickstarter course is only the first step to achieving the positive life you always wanted.