Overcome Negative Thinking
David Ingram is a local Reiki Master Teacher and kindly shared the following information with us, in case any readers are struggling in the current situation.
The daily news is so awful that it can get under our skin and dominate our consciousness. There are little tricks you could use to deal with your fears and worries. I have based this short note on an article in The Reiki Times published by the International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP).
5 Ways to Derail Negative Thinking, Instantly
Maintaining a positive mindset can sometimes be challenging in even the best of circumstances, making it even more daunting when things get a bit chaotic. Having negative thoughts doesn’t mean you are not spiritually fit. It simply means you are human.
While having negative thoughts isn’t the end of the world, you want to disrupt their flow as quickly as possible before they begin to attract more negative thoughts their way. These five tips can help you derail negative thinking in a flash.
MOVE
One of the quickest and easiest ways to change your thinking is to get up and move. An old adage says Move a muscle, change a thought, and the concept works like a charm. Go outside. Walk around the house. Put on some music and dance. Whatever it is, just move your body. It works wonders for moving thoughts right out of your mind.
ASK WHAT IT WANTS
Negative thoughts can be accompanied by negative emotions, and emotions can be a cue that we need to do something to take care of ourselves. Asking what purpose your negative thought is serving can help you find that something.
For instance, let’s say you have a negative thought about finances, accompanied by feelings of insecurity, anxiety and fear. Let those feelings guide you into actions you can take to feel more secure, hopeful and trusting.
Maybe you just need to do something that brings on feelings of security and support, like slipping into a warm, aromatic bath to meditate and pray.
WITNESS, DON’T REACT
Even if negative thoughts come with emotions, you don’t have to react to either one. Witness them instead. Detach yourself and simply watch the thought or feel the emotion as it comes. Don’t try to control them. Don’t get trapped into judging them. Acknowledge their presence without taking action, tapping into the stillness and silence within.
The thoughts and emotions will pass, yet the stillness and silence can bring on a sense of calm that remains. Then bring your attention back to the present and get on with your day.
FLIP IT
If you need a more positive way to derail negative thoughts, the Flip It strategy can work. When a negative thought comes into your head, write it down, find evidence to refute it, and flip it into a positive thought instead. Let’s say that a negative thought about finances came rambling into your mind. It says something like, “I don’t have enough money”. The three part strategy can work like this:
- Write it down: I don’t have enough money.
- Find evidence to refute it: I have a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, food to eat, a bed to sleep in and everything I need to live right now.
- Flip it: I have enough money to provide everything I need to live right now.
Thank you IARP.
Well there you are, four helpful hints, but before I finish I would like to add a fifth of my own:
THIRD PERSON PERSPECTIVE
When you feel overcome by some emotion that has you in its unwelcome grip, look at yourself from the outside, from a third person perspective. See yourself wrestling with those feelings. Then you will find that the grip has relaxed. This is a strategy I use and I find that it works. I look at myself, a person in difficulty and in thinking about this person (me) I cease to be so hard pressed and helpless. I have created space to think and feel otherwise.
If you have any questions about Reiki healing, which can be done at a distance, I can be contacted by email : david-ingram@orange.fr
