7 ways to free your mind of negative thoughts

It has been determined that human mind deals with approximately 10,000 thoughts every day. What is to be done when nearly all of them are recurring, obsessive and, most dangerously, negative thoughts? These thoughts not only affect your state of mind, but they are also an incredible source of stress, with negative impact on your general health, as they weaken your immune system and escalate the inflammatory processes in your body.

Since many proponents of functional medicine – a medical approach based on treating each patient as a unique individual rather than treating the symptoms of a given disease – claim that our own thoughts are the source of our happiness or unhappiness, here are a few commonly accepted methods we can use to fight off or at least prevent these recurring thoughts from becoming prevalent.

1. The presence exercise

We call it an exercise because it is not easy to be present every single moment in everything that you do. This is an ability that you have to exercise. Meditation is the most powerful tool against the thoughts that prevent you from living in the moment. By practicing meditation, you will learn that you are not your thoughts, but merely the observer of your thoughts. Meditation helps you hold back the flood of recurring thoughts and concentrate on the present moment.

2. Try to value yourself!

When you hate your body, thus becoming your own worst enemy, it is quite impossible to bounce back. If the only thoughts that run through your mind are related to the frustration you feel about your own person, it should come as no surprise that your physical and mental health is out of balance. Therefore, start loving yourself and think especially about your qualities instead of dwelling on your shortcomings. It is the first step, and an important one, towards a general state of well-being.

3. Face your fears!

The first step in the fight against your fears is to acknowledge them. By admitting and accepting they are there, stuck in your mind, where they come back every day like a never-ending nightmare, you make them weaker. These fears are a threat to your health, so confront them! State loudly what your fears are, talk to someone close to you or see a psychoanalyst.

4. Try the technology detoxification!

The internet may have made our lives easier, but it has driven us apart, too. Every time we cast an eye over the posts, comments or photographs of our social media friends, we let the avalanche of thoughts take control of our mind. Break out of this virtual prison, be “there” and try the kind of socialization your mind has everything to gain from: face to face. If checking your social media accounts is the first thing you do after you wake up and the last thing you do before you go to bed, the first step to tech detox is to break this habit. Try to spend this time doing Tai Chi and yoga exercises, which will help you regain your balance and inner peace.

5. Fill your mind with positive thoughts!

If you still find it difficult to clear your mind of any thought, at least concentrate on the positive ones. Think about a vacation or the interesting things you will do when you go on that vacation, listen to classical or meditation/relaxing music, read a humorous book or call a friend you like talking to. This brings us to the next piece of advice…

6. Spend as much time as possible with friends who are able to raise your spirits!

You know them, they are easy to recognize. After having a conversation or spending some time with them, you start to feel inexplicably well. We are not only talking about positive people, but we also refer to those who capture your attention to such a degree that you manage to stay anchored in the present. And take a break from negative thinking. Not only can they cheer you up with a realistic and straightforward piece of advice, but they also make you feel you can be completely yourself. So keep away from those friends who, however well-meaning, feed your negative thinking, or from those who always end up talking about themselves and about what happens to them, so that, at the end of the day, you would rather listen to your own thoughts than to their monologue.

7. Do not take things personally!

Every time you take offence at something, your body suffers along with your mind. Reliving a moment or a conversation that once made you feel offended has a negative impact on your health. Not to take everything personally might seem easier said than done. However, try to see things from the following perspective: suppose that the person who offended you did not do it on purpose and consider that forgiving him or her is part of your healing process. Turning a blind eye in such cases does not make you a weak person. You just refuse to hurt yourself by allowing frustration and smoldering anger to pile up inside you. Forgive and forget and you will see that negative thoughts will stop coming back!
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Thoughts are endowed with intelligence and magnetism

7 ways to free your mind of negative thoughts by Technology for Life is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.