Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts: these unwelcome critters
When you're on your path of creating your own reality and you have read about and use positive thinking, it can be quite frustrating to realize that you're still having some negative thinking going on.
For instance: this is me, having a good job, a wonderful and supportive partner, my family is well, I've got money, I've got health... yet I'm walking down the street and my mind has its own string of thoughts:
"These bags are heavy. And it's so cold - I feel unattractive because I can no longer wear the summer clothes that make me feel good. And the night comes so early now in winter - it's so depressing. Oh, my room is a mess; I don't feel like tidying up but I'll have to do it if I want to have a nice space..."
...and on, and on, and on. You've most likely experienced a sort of chain of thoughts going on in your mind in a similar line - without you seemingly doing anything at all, you're bombarded with negative thinking.
Besides, you know that if you just buy into the negative thinking you'll end up feeling quite miserable - which you know you don't want. All of a sudden you're even feeling guilty for not feeling good.
So... what do you do about negative thoughts?
Take the shortcut at this point and read about how to eliminate negative thoughts...
...or keep on reading for some exploring of negative thinking.
I found a couple of things interesting, when I started reading about positive thinking: why we have negative thoughts, and what we can do about them.
As to why we have negative thoughts, certain things play an important role, such as our culture, our beliefs in life and in a god or absence of it, our upbringing, our surroundings... even things like the winter time arriving can affect our mood.
As to what to do about negative thinking...
First of all, we don't have to do anything about it, but we can if we want to. But we can also accept that we're just plainly having negative thoughts, and let it be that way.
I personally like feeling good, and that's why I strive to change my thoughts if they don't make me feel good.
But how about if you've tried it all, and nothing seems to work, or at least for no more than a few moments?
After trying many different techniques I have found that sometimes, no matter how many techniques I try for how long, I just don't seem to be able to change my thoughts.
At this point, the one thing I've found that does work is to love myself fully: to accept myself just as I'm being, negative thinking and all, and to recognize that I am doing my best. I truly am.
When I can find the spot where I can accept and love myself fully, and surrender to who I am at that moment without having to change myself, then the negative thinking starts to disappear by itself.
Then, hope and calm return to me, and then - only once after I've accepted myself fully - it feels easy to focus on the positive aspects of life again.
"I found that when you start thinking and saying what you really want, then your mind automatically shifts and pulls you in that direction. And sometimes it can be that simple, just a little twist in vocabulary that illustrates your attitude and philosophy."
Jim Rohn