Negative Thinking Can Be Dangerous - 4 Tips To Help You Overcome It
This is just how depression starts.
Sitting, brooding about things that happened in the past, real or imagined wrongs that were done to you.
Thinking about the future in a negative way isn't any better.
"That woman at work who landed the senior VP's job.
Good grief, she's only just out of diapers! Must have slept with the old man.
" "I'd love to start my own business, but what's the point.
Failure's become a way of life.
" All right.
Enough of this nonsense.
Negative thinking can be dangerous, so here are 4 tips to help you overcome it.
1.
No More Black and White Thinking.
Usually, life's a compromise, or at least it's seldom in extremes.
But negative thinkers tend to view it in the latter way.
"How the heck did I let myself be talked into this business? It's going to be an absolute disaster.
" "Why on earth did I allow myself to be talked in to meeting his parents? I know I'll absolutely hate them.
" Instead of thinking in negative absolutes, try shades of grey.
"Well, the business must be given a chance to grow.
" "I like the boy well enough, so I expect his parents will be okay.
" 2.
Don't Go Overboard.
Do you tend to spread the negativity around to every sphere of your life? For example, if you fail an exam, do you say to yourself; 'Well, at least I know what the examiners are looking for now.
But I really must hit the books harder.
' Or is it; 'Failed! I knew I would! I'm a complete and utter dolt in everything I do.
' 3.
The Uriah Heep Syndrome.
You have to give a presentation.
You do the bulk of the work, with Frank and Sally helping you.
They give peripheral suggestions and help you put it all together, but the whole concept and most of the wording is your idea, and your boss isn't slow to tell you.
"Thanks," you reply, "but if it hadn't been for Frank and Sally it would have been a disaster.
" Who did 95% of the work? You did.
Don't do the 'ever so 'umble' bit.
The credit's your's.
4.
Rein In Your Imagination.
One of our most precious attributes is our imagination.
However, there's a right and a wrong way of using it, and the negative thinker, understandably enough, usually uses the wrong way.
Supposing you have to give a talk or a speech at some function or another.
How do you allow your imagination to behave prior to the event? Do you allow it to frighten the life out of you by negatively hypnotizing you? That you'll walk to the podium -- and then your mind will go blank.
Now I ask you.
Isn't it far better to imagine the best? Surely it is.
Not tottering to the podium with your knees knocking, but striding confidently up to it, laying your notes before you and delivering your speech masterfully.
Follow these tips and there's a good chance you'll start to enjoy life
Sitting, brooding about things that happened in the past, real or imagined wrongs that were done to you.
Thinking about the future in a negative way isn't any better.
"That woman at work who landed the senior VP's job.
Good grief, she's only just out of diapers! Must have slept with the old man.
" "I'd love to start my own business, but what's the point.
Failure's become a way of life.
" All right.
Enough of this nonsense.
Negative thinking can be dangerous, so here are 4 tips to help you overcome it.
1.
No More Black and White Thinking.
Usually, life's a compromise, or at least it's seldom in extremes.
But negative thinkers tend to view it in the latter way.
"How the heck did I let myself be talked into this business? It's going to be an absolute disaster.
" "Why on earth did I allow myself to be talked in to meeting his parents? I know I'll absolutely hate them.
" Instead of thinking in negative absolutes, try shades of grey.
"Well, the business must be given a chance to grow.
" "I like the boy well enough, so I expect his parents will be okay.
" 2.
Don't Go Overboard.
Do you tend to spread the negativity around to every sphere of your life? For example, if you fail an exam, do you say to yourself; 'Well, at least I know what the examiners are looking for now.
But I really must hit the books harder.
' Or is it; 'Failed! I knew I would! I'm a complete and utter dolt in everything I do.
' 3.
The Uriah Heep Syndrome.
You have to give a presentation.
You do the bulk of the work, with Frank and Sally helping you.
They give peripheral suggestions and help you put it all together, but the whole concept and most of the wording is your idea, and your boss isn't slow to tell you.
"Thanks," you reply, "but if it hadn't been for Frank and Sally it would have been a disaster.
" Who did 95% of the work? You did.
Don't do the 'ever so 'umble' bit.
The credit's your's.
4.
Rein In Your Imagination.
One of our most precious attributes is our imagination.
However, there's a right and a wrong way of using it, and the negative thinker, understandably enough, usually uses the wrong way.
Supposing you have to give a talk or a speech at some function or another.
How do you allow your imagination to behave prior to the event? Do you allow it to frighten the life out of you by negatively hypnotizing you? That you'll walk to the podium -- and then your mind will go blank.
Now I ask you.
Isn't it far better to imagine the best? Surely it is.
Not tottering to the podium with your knees knocking, but striding confidently up to it, laying your notes before you and delivering your speech masterfully.
Follow these tips and there's a good chance you'll start to enjoy life
