Note: This article is by Veikko Arvonen, who shares his experience in eliminating negative thoughts.
I have had a lot of negative thoughts in my life, and honestly, they can be very annoying, and in the worst-case scenario, they can completely drain you into a negative spiral that is difficult to get out of. So today, I want to share with you how to deal with negative thoughts.
Understanding how the human mind functions
When I say, "Don't think of a red cup of coffee," what are you thinking? most likely a red cup of coffee. This is how the human mind works. When you realize that you shouldn't be thinking about something, you will subconsciously find yourself thinking about it.
It may be a good idea to ignore these ideas, persuade yourself that they are unimportant, or use any other similar tactic if you experience anxious negative thoughts that you feel like you are interacting with.
These scenarios can lead to a cycle of negative thoughts. When a negative thought trudges through your mind, you may feel the need to prevent it or neutralize it with different rituals and methods. However, after a short moment, those thoughts will come back stronger and worse than they were.
This makes you repeat the same actions, and it can make you very anxious. You may also feel that you will have to put your mind in order before you can continue with your normal life.
Fortunately, getting negative thoughts out of your head can be easy if you focus on the right things.
How do you prevent negative thoughts from entering your mind?
If you've been stuck in that loop, you know it's terrible. However, there is a simple way to break this cycle: let those negative thoughts go. Do not try to block, neutralize, or amplify them; after all, they are just thoughts.
Imagine your thoughts are like flowing water; if you try to stop it, it will increase its pressure and eventually crush you, but if you let it flow, you don't have to worry about it, and it won't cause you any problems.
When negative thoughts come to your mind, just watch them and let them flow like water. This is how you will make those thoughts fade away quickly, and the most important thing is that you have to realize that they are just thoughts and do not define reality. They may be painful for some time, but they will disappear. No matter how much you want to ban or neutralize them, don't do it.
Isolate your thoughts from reality
Your thoughts and reality are two different things. I know those bad thoughts may seem scary, but they are not real. If there is something in particular that you should not worry about, just let it run through your mind. Your emotional mind is only playing tricks, and you may feel tempted to overcome them, but don't; it will only make things worse.
Sometimes you may have terrible thoughts penetrating your mind. When that happens, do the same; let them flow like water; they are just ideas and do not affect reality. The fact that they make you uncomfortable means that you will not apply these ideas in real life.
In short, negative thoughts are something we all face at times, and when they come, let them flow like water; don't ban, neutralize, or amplify them; that way, they will fade away.
Negative thoughts and meditation
Stopping negative thoughts from invading your mind is a great thing to do through meditation. There are many different types of meditation, but this one is the simplest:
- Choose a quiet place where no one can interrupt you.
- Sit or lie down.
- Set the timer for 5–20 minutes, close your eyes, and breathe deeply until the timer rings.
- During this time, let your thoughts flow like water without stopping or exaggerating them.
If you consistently have negative thoughts, meditation can be extremely beneficial. You'll start to notice various thinking patterns and recurring themes when you start to meditate. Your mind eventually develops immunity to the uncomfortable thoughts that you used to experience by learning to accept repressed emotions and unfounded concerns.
The idea that only Asian monks meditate is absurd. You become more resilient, at ease, self-assured, happy, and psychologically stable when you meditate. Moreover, meditation helps you prevent negative thoughts from entering your mind.
In conclusion
Dealing with negative thoughts is a skill that anyone can benefit from. Fortunately, it is very easy to learn if you do it right. A simple way to deal with negative thoughts is to let them flow like water and make yourself immune to them through meditation.
Certain situations can make you more susceptible to negative thoughts, and some people tend to overthink more than others. If you consider negative thoughts and anxiety to be serious problems, it may be a good idea to seek professional help. Talking to a friend can also help.
Thoughts are only thoughts, and they do not determine reality, so I hope you find my piece useful.
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