It can be challenging to prevent negative thoughts from taking over when you're having a tough time at school. It's important to recognize when you engage in negative thinking because it can get in your way of achieving your goals. Let's explore negative thinking in a bit more detail…
Why do we keep thinking negatively?
Everyone has negative thoughts sometimes. When you're having negative thoughts that cycle through your mind repeatedly, it can really become a bad pattern. Recurring thoughts of this nature can be symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders.
Is it possible to change negative thinking?
Thinking negatively can feel outside of your control and completely automatic. With the right techniques and continuous practice, you can learn to retrain your mind and free yourself from habitual thinking and negative self-talk.
Do we have control over our thoughts?
Certainly. We are continually aware of only a tiny fraction of our thinking which goes on in our minds and can manage our conscious thoughts. The majority of our thinking goes on subconsciously.
The human brain is a powerhouse of energy and by far the most complex. Here are a few ways you can handle your negative thoughts.
How Can You Combat Negative Thoughts?
Be conscious of your thoughts
Stop yourself from thinking a negative thought as soon as you catch yourself thinking it. One thought can lead to another and before you know it, you are experiencing deep grief and sorrow over your past mistakes or hurts. So it is very important to stop at that first negative thought itself.
Next, replace it with a positive thought or reframe your thought pattern into a positive one. This will help you feel more positive and hopeful.
Keep yourself busy
You are more prone to negative thinking when you are sitting idle, rather than when you are busy. Keeping your hands and mind occupied by doing tasks like cleaning, studying, doing your hobby, etc. helps keep your mind off negative thoughts.
Being busy means that you don’t have time to sit and think about how unfair life is. Busyness directs your attention away from yourself, your aches and pains.
Music
Listening to your favorite music for 25 minutes a day can bring about a great mood change and have a positive effect on your health and day. Upbeat music is a great way to keep negative thoughts away. It is hard to entertain troubling thoughts when you are listening to your favorite music.
Exercise
People tend to experience more pleasant and happy feelings than people who exercise less or don’t exercise at all. The chemical dopamine which is associated with pleasure and happiness is released in the brain every time you exercise, making it harder for negative thoughts to enter your mind.
Diet
Eating nutritious food that is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants not only nourishes your brain but significantly impacts your thought processes and how you feel. Mood and food have an important connection.
Full Night Rest and Sleep
Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of negative thinking. It greatly affects your mood, causing you to feel anxious, irritable, and angry. Getting a sufficient 8 hours of sleep helps to keep negative thoughts away and greatly improves your mental health.
Avoid Triggers
It is important that one gives attention to their environment and intentionally removes all triggers that would initiate negative thoughts. Negative thinking is also a habit that one can easily pick up from others. Minimizing contact with such people and avoiding negative triggers can help keep you sane and positive.
It is never too late to try changing your negative thought pattern. These are ways you can work on reducing your stress levels, both through the kind of thoughts you have about yourself and how you respond to stressful situations.
If you're still struggling with negative thoughts and stress with school, the Chill Pill is here for you. The electronic waves pulsing from it send the message that it's time to relax, let the tension melt away and drift off to sleep.