Defeat Anxiety and Depression With Positive Thinking Habits
Dealing with long term anxiety, depression or stress can be so debilitating to the point where negative thoughts can control your life. Have you stopped doing every day activities out of fear or worry that something bad might happen? Or are you simply living your life thinking more about negatives than positives? Then you are experience NATS ‘Negative Automatic Thoughts‘ these are annoying, unwelcome and unrealistic thoughts that have become auto-pilot in your mind due to continuous negative thinking habits or because you have endured an experience so bad that your mind automatically responds negatively to a situation resulting in avoidance behaviours and snowballing negative thinking. You can indulge in negativity so much that this alone can cause Anxiety and Depression therefore I will go so far as to say tackling these NATS could be the most powerful way to defeat your anxiety and depression altogether. Here are some top tips in order to change your negative mindset.
I will start by saying negative thinking is a habit, therefore try using these methods until you believe the habit is broken and you have formed a new and more positive thought process. I would also say to anyone experiencing a hard time, this can be difficult at points because you may be feeling so down that it seems impossible to think positively or your negative feelings are so strong and overpowering you may not have the energy to change your thought process. That’s ok, don’t beat yourself up about it, always put yourself first and know it can be difficult, at first it may seem like a constant battle with your mind but positive thinking gets easier and more natural over time once your negative habits dissolve. Be patient with yourself and you will succeed.
TECHNIQUES TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
1. Before you go to sleep think of at least 3 positives that have happened in your day, it could be as small as small as ‘you had a lovely cup of tea’ or ‘you really enjoyed playing an xbox game.’ By adding this to your daily routine you are reinforcing positivity and overtime this will encourage more positive thoughts.
2. When you wake up name 3-4 things, people or memories you are grateful for. Maybe you’re grateful for your new, clean fresh bedsheets or grateful for your family. Gratitude is such a powerful emotion and will help you achieve your life goals.
3. When a negative thought enters your mind either replace it with a positive or picture a vacuum over your forehead sucking out all your negative thoughts. Imagery and visualisation are great techniques if you have a vivid imagination; after all seeing is doing.
4. Laugh everyday. Find a comedian, book, film or a relative that amuses you and just laugh, laugh, laugh. Go out of your way to find something that makes you laugh, this will encourage serotonin production, known as ‘the happy chemical’ in your body which will make you feel a lot better.
5. Eliminate avoidance behaviour. This can be difficult (there will be another blog based solely on this) but once you eliminate avoidance behaviours life can become so much easier and enjoyable.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION
Changing your mindset on your own can be a challenge but of-course achievable. This 6 minute diary gives you that extra bit of help and is definitely recommended! This is a fantastic self help diary. It focuses on weekly questions, tips and strategies to help promote a more positive mindset. It aims to brake negative habits and replace them with positive thoughts whilst also leaving space for your own notes.
