Coping with Negative Thinking

Thinking patterns become habits in the same way that physical mannerisms do. The stronger our thinking habits are, the less consciously aware we are of them. Some of our habits serve us well, while others hold us back and create unnecessary stress. Just as our existing habits were learnt at some point in the past, so too we can develop new thinking habits.

• Negative thinking inhibits effective performance. 
• Positive thinking can also inhibit effective performance (when it is not in line with the actual reality of the situation). 
• The most helpful type of thinking, is accurate thinking. 

• Identify the situations in which you are most likely to start thinking negatively.
• List the most common negative thoughts which you experience in these situations.
• Challenge their accuracy – are these assumptions of yours definitely 100% accurate? 

• Where might your negative thinking habits have originated?
• What – at that time – might have been the advantages to thinking in this way?
• Since then, have circumstances changed? In what way?
• How might you need to adapt your thinking to best suit the current circumstances, and to best help you achieve your future goals?

• The concept of 'accurate thinking' can very powerful in changing people's attitudes, emotions and ultimately their lives. It does however require good insight and a willingness to really work on it over time. To get more help with this, look for a psychologist with knowledge and experience in something called CBT (or related processes). 

"You need just enough optimism to inspire hope, and just enough pessimism to prevent complacency".