If you've ever had a negative thought, then you know how powerful they can be. The trick to dealing with them is not to let them spiral out of control. Here are some ways you can stop a negative thought before it gets too big:
Question the thought.
Ask yourself what is the evidence for this thought? Is there another way to look at this situation? If you can't find evidence or think about it in a different way, ask yourself if the evidence is true or not (for example, "I'm not good enough" may be true if someone else said it about you but false if you say it about yourself).
If the thought isn't true then feel free to let it go!
Look for evidence.
If you're having a thought that is negative and making you feel bad, ask yourself if there is any evidence to support it. If not, try to think of another way of looking at the situation or person in question. You might find that the person who made you upset wasn't actually trying to hurt your feelings and was just having a bad day themselves!
Use tools like scripting and reframing.
Scripting is a way of talking to yourself. It helps you see the bigger picture and reminds you that life isn't always as bad as it seems.
Reframing is another technique that can help you view your situation in a positive light, rather than focusing on what's wrong with it or how bad it makes you feel. For example, if someone says something mean about your outfit at work today, instead of getting upset about it or feeling guilty about wearing those jeans again (because we know they're not flattering), try reframing by saying something like "I'm glad I wore these jeans today because they make me happy."
You can learn to deal with your negative thoughts by asking questions, looking for evidence and using tools like scripting and reframing.
So you've got a negative thought. What do you do?
The first step is to question the thought itself. Ask yourself: Is this true? Can I prove it's true? Have I ever seen evidence of this before, or is it just something that someone else said in passing that stuck with me over time? If so, how does my current situation differ from those other times when things were going well for me and my life was going great (and thus proving that "negative" thoughts weren't true)?
After questioning your negative thoughts and finding evidence against them--or even confirming their validity--the next step is using tools like scripting (putting positive messages on sticky notes) or reframing (changing the way you think about things) to help keep yourself focused on what matters most: staying positive and taking action toward achieving your goals!
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The four steps to dealing with your negative thoughts. It may seem like a lot of work at first, but once you get into the habit of questioning your thoughts and looking for evidence before reacting, it'll become second nature to do so--and that means less stress on your mind!

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