Changing Your Mind: How to Avoid Troubling Behavior
We all have those moments when we don’t like what we are doing. We get this knot in our stomach that is telling us that this isn’t the appropriate response to a situation, but for some reason, we still do it. We feel like there is no way out.
But, there is a way out. There is something we can do about it.
It is all in how we train our minds to do the right thing. It is all in how we train our minds to choose an alternative course of action.
We all want to do the right thing. We all know what the right thing to do is. Now, we need to convince our minds to make it happen.
Acknowledge the Negative Thought
It is very difficult to just say you are going to turn to positive thinking. It may help for a little bit, but deep in your mind still lies the negative thoughts. They won’t go away until you acknowledge them.
Bring the negativity to the surface and acknowledge that it is in your mind. It is essential that you look at those thoughts that are weighing you down, tell yourself what they are doing to you, and get it out in the open. As you start to recognize these negative thoughts, your brain will start to release the negative ideas that have been holding you back.
You should also read up on people who have gone through similar issues as you. Show yourself that you are not alone. Whether you are dealing with drugs or alcohol, you can click here to see how people helped themselves get through negative times in their life.
Turn Statements into Questions
Another trick that you can try is to turn statements into questions. Many times, we try to tell our brain what to do, but it doesn’t seem to work. But, if we turn those statements into questions, the likelihood of effective change is higher. This allows you to greet negative thoughts with curiosity rather than fear. When have I done this before? What happened because of this behavior? These types of questions can allow your brain to process what is happening and help you work through the right solution.
Exercise Your Body...Exercise Your Mind
As much as we may drag out feet when it comes to exercising, the release of endorphins that comes with exercising can really help to clear our minds. It will help to make your body feel better as well as your mind.
Get yourself involved in a variety of different exercise activities such as yoga, spin class, Zumba, or running a road race. Try to mix up your exercise routine to avoid getting yourself into a workout rut. When you feel like you are constantly doing the same thing, you are more likely to give up on it. Allow the mind to experience as many different things as they can.
Don’t Be A Perfectionist
You need to have realistic expectations of how to change your behavior. It is not something that is going to happen overnight, and you need to prepare yourself for that. If you set the bar too high and don’t meet those expectations, you are likely to fall back into the negative behavior.
Acknowledge the behavior, ask yourself how you can work through it, and what you hope to achieve by choosing a different behavior. It is essential that you talk things through with yourself and have an active conversation with yourself. But again, baby steps will lead to the big steps. Tell yourself that the thought is just a thought and not reality.
Learn to Become Mindful
We become so obsessed with the past and thinking about the future. In doing so, we are ignoring the here and now. We need to find our inner peace and live in the moment. Mindfulness helps to stop the wandering thoughts. There are things in our life that we can’t control, and we can’t dwell on. Learn to practice mindful meditation each day to allow the inner peace of the current situation to be your focus.
Understanding Criticism Can Be Constructive
Too many times when we hear criticism of what we are doing, we immediately think less of ourselves. Criticism can be constructive and help to improve what we are doing. We need to allow our mind to understand that this is a growing opportunity. Teaching yourself to be assertive with these thoughts can allow you to defend against actual judgmental criticism. You can have your mind be ready for whatever may come your way and your confidence in defending against it will grow.
It is important that you know people all have opinions and just because they say it, doesn’t mean you have to believe it. Listen to what they have to say and allow your brain the opportunity to decide what to do with that information. Throw it away or process it to turn it into a positive for your well-being.
Keep a Thoughts Journal
Sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of your thoughts. Carrying around a thoughts journal with you could be a helpful solution to that. When you feel your mind thinking negatively, write down what those thoughts are like. This will allow you the opportunity to acknowledge the negative thought and see it down on paper. It will help you see what is going on and allow you time to process how to change your thought process. It will also serve as a guide for when you had those thoughts in the past and how you handled changing them. Be proud of yourself and write down your success stories.
It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint
It is extremely important that you understand this is not an easy process. It’s actually very difficult as you are aware. Go into this thought changing process knowing this ahead of time. There will be bumps along the road and the journey will be a long one, but if you stick to the course, your thinking can change.
You have the power to change your mind.
CONTRIBUTED CONTENT
