How To Change Your Thoughts From Negative To Positive

"See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort." ~Dalai Lama

Even though I'm a yoga instructor, I still find it'southward easy to autumn prey to negative thinking. Having negative thoughts play out like a movie can only bring you hurting, something that I've experienced many times throughout my life.

Negative thoughts drain you lot of energy and keep yous from being in the present moment. The more than you give in to your negative thoughts, the stronger they get. I like the imagery of a small ball rolling along the footing, and as it rolls, it becomes bigger and faster.

That's what i small negative thought can turn into: a huge, speeding ball of ugliness. On the contrary, a small positive thought tin can have the same effect blossoming into a beautiful effect.

I'd similar to share with you an example of how ane small-scale thought tin turn into a very negative experience.

I have lived on my own for the last ten years. Evidently, during this time I've grown accustomed to living in a particular way; I have my routines with cooking, cleaning, and living happily in my place.

My boyfriend of two years, who I have had a long distance relationship with, will soon be moving hither and we will exist living together. Lately I've had negative thoughts of moving in with him knowing that my living routine will have to change and we will take to create a new routine together.

Unfortunately, I've already jumped into the future and have had thoughts that we will non be able to come up with a living organization that volition make us both happy. In my mind I have seen myself already getting angry about our cooking and cleaning situation.

He came for a surprise visit this by weekend, and male child, was information technology a surprise for him. We had a miserable weekend together.

I did not enjoy his company because I was already angry with him, and he was dislocated and every bit frustrated with me. What could have been a really fabulous weekend concluded up being a painful and heavy weekend.

When nosotros start to have negative thoughts, it'southward difficult to stop them. And it's much easier said than washed to shift your focus to positive thoughts. Simply information technology'due south the only way, especially if y'all want to avert going downwardly a path that is painful and unnecessary.

Here are ten things I did to help overcome my negative thoughts that you can also endeavor:

ane. Meditate or do yoga.

I of the first things I did was head to a yoga class. It took my focus away from my thoughts and brought my attention to my jiff. Yoga is likewise very relaxing, which helped ease my listen. Yoga helped me stay nowadays to my experience so instead of jumping to what could happen, it brought me back to the now—the merely moment, the most important moment.

2. Smile.

I didn't do much of this during the weekend, and so I literally had to bring myself in front end of a mirror and force myself to grinning. It actually does assist modify your mood and relieve stress. I also felt lighter because it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

I chosen a friend who I knew could give me effective however loving feedback. When you're stuck in a negative spiral, talk to people who can put things into perspective and won't feed your negative thinking.

4. Change the tone of your thoughts from negative to positive.

For example, instead of thinking, "We are going to have a difficult time adjusting to our living situation," think, "We volition face some challenges in our living situation, but we will come upwardly with solutions that we volition both be happy with."

5. Don't play the victim. You create your life—have responsibleness.

The way I was thinking and interim, you would think I was stuck. Even if our living situation becomes unbearable, there is always a manner out. I will e'er take the choice to make change happen, if need be.

6. Help someone.

Have the focus abroad from y'all and do something nice for another person. I decided to make a tray of nutrient and donate it to the Conservancy Army. Information technology took my listen off of things and I felt better for helping someone else.

7. Retrieve that no one is perfect and let yourself move forward.

Information technology'southward easy to dwell on your mistakes. I felt terrible that I acted this way and that I wasted our weekend. The only thing I can practice now is acquire from my mistakes and move forwards. I definitely don't desire to have a weekend similar that over again.

8. Sing.

I don't remember lyrics very well and information technology'south probably the reason that I don't savor singing, but every time I do sing I always experience improve. When we sing, nosotros show our feelings and this provides an amazing stress relief.

9. List 5 things that yous are grateful for correct now.

Being grateful helps appreciate what y'all already have. Hither's my list: my cats, health, a six-week trip to Asia, a new yoga form that I'll be teaching, and for my mom'south biopsy coming out clean.

x. Read positive quotes.

I similar to place Mail service-It notes with positive quotes on my computer, fridge door, and mirror as reminders to stay positive. Also, I'd like to share with you a quote by an unknown author that was shared in a meditation class that I attended:

Spotter your thoughts, they get words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, information technology becomes your destiny.

Happy positive thinking!

Photo by Nasir Nasrallah

About Michelle Uy

Michelle Uy is a Certified Yoga Teacher and Owner of LoveActionYoga. She is Co-Creator of the Swallow Well Feel Well Program, a yoga and nutrition programme, and she is also certified to teach Yoga Thrive, a therapeutic yoga program for cancer survivors. For more tips to live happier and healthier, check out That'due south Fit.ca.

See a typo or inaccuracy? Delight contact u.s.a. so nosotros tin set it!