When somebody annoys us on social media, the block button makes it easy to get rid of them. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do the same things with our own negative, sometimes unhealthy thoughts? You know the ones. Unhealthy thoughts can creep into the minds of even the most put-together person. These can be a big problem and really stand in the way of our overall happiness.
Rewind back to three years ago. My mind was plagued with unhealthy thoughts. I was constantly questioning myself, my worth, and my skillset. To put it simply, my mind was telling me that I wasn’t good enough and after a while, I started to believe it. Unhealthy thoughts can trick us and generally just make us feel craptastic. They can also stand in the way of being productive.
I decided to look into blocking those thoughts the same way I can block obnoxious people on social media. I knew it was possible and I always knew that it was something I had to really work on. I tried many different techniques but always came back to four that really did the trick.
1. Write it Down and Then Release it – AKA Braindumping
Brain dumping has been more helpful to me than I ever thought possible. When somebody first told me about it, honestly, it sounded hokey. It took a few times of somebody drilling the idea into my head before I actually tried it. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
The idea is to write down all those unhealthy thoughts; what’s bothering you, what you find yourself dwelling on – all that negative self-talk. Write it all down. Get that shit out of your system and then, (quite poetically), trash it. Hell, set it on fire if you want to.
By physically removing unhealthy thoughts onto paper and then disposing of it, you’re quite literally releasing it.
Brain dumping gets all those negative thoughts out of your mind and onto paper. This can also be helpful for overthinking in general. We have a lot of thoughts bouncing around in our minds all the time. Sometimes, we just need to get those thoughts out of there. Those unhealthy, negative thoughts, should always be disposed of in one way or another. Release them. You WILL feel better.
2. Facts Versus Opinions: Know The Difference
Fact: Something that actually exists; reality; truth.
Opinion: A belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty. A personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
See the difference? It may seem pretty obvious but that difference is something you need to be aware of to trick yourself into blocking bad thoughts. Most of the time, unhealthy thoughts come from opinions, not facts.
Understand that most of those unhealthy thoughts spawn due to opinions. Those opinions are NOT facts. Being able to differentiate between the two can make a world of difference.
3. Look on the Bright Side
Unhealthy thoughts can also be a product of worry. You may find, (when you really think about it), that your unhealthy thoughts arise because you’re looking at the worst-case scenario. I used to do this all the damn time. I was focusing on what could go wrong in any given situation instead of focusing on what could go right.
Literally, look on the bright side. What is the BEST-case scenario? What can go right? Train yourself to look at all situations in a positive light instead of in a negative one.
Also, ask yourself, “So what if it does go wrong? What’s the worst that could happen?”
Most of the time, that big bad worst-case scenario is something that you can handle anyways. Either way, look at situations in a positive light. This will cause you less worry and can combat those unhealthy thoughts from forming in the first place.
4. Know that People Really Don’t Care That Much
This single thought has changed the way I look at it so much. It’s powerful but can sound a little harsh at first. People really don’t care that much what you do. They truly don’t. Everybody is busy living their own lives to worry about how you’re living yours.
If a lot of your unhealthy thoughts stem from what other people may or may not think – understand that they really don’t give a shit. (Unless they are a very bored human with no real life of their own.)
If you’re not hurting yourself or somebody else, don’t put too much stock in what other people are going to think about it. Again, they are busy putting that energy into their own life. They really don’t care what you’re doing.
There is NO Value in Unhealthy Thoughts. BLOCK THEM.
I’m not saying that this isn’t challenging because it can be. But, know that there is no value in unhealthy thoughts. They bring nothing to the table so don’t go inviting them to brunch.
Train yourself to replace negative phrases with positive ones. Look on the brighter side of situations and release those unhealthy thoughts so they don’t bounce back and forth in your head all day.
Blocking unhealthy thoughts is going to make you happier. Happiness is priceless. Use these techniques to block those unhealthy thoughts.
Do you have any other ways you’re able to block your unhealthy thoughts? Do these techniques work for you? Let me know in the comments!
Excellent article !