Don’t Breed Your Negative Thoughts

It’s often the sheer quantity of negative thoughts that weigh us down. But for those times when we’re in a more positive frame of mind, we can stop stray, unhelpful thoughts from sticking in our head and filling up our mind.

Take a look at the two contrasting reactions below:

Positive Thoughts Beat Negative

So, you had a negative thought – but it was fine. You just let it go, kept thinking positively and it faded away. Then, later, you have another – that’s still okay so long as you shrug it off and keep focusing on the positive stuff. You get on with your life and you’re feeling good.

Those teenie little negative thoughts never got the nourishment they needed to grow and thrive, but your positive thoughts did exactly that.

OR

Negative Thoughts Beat Positive

You have a negative thought – it’s only a weeny runt of a thought, but you let it wrench away your attention from the good stuff for just long enough.

And guess what.

Of course.

It grows stronger and it grows louder. And it shouts over one of its negative-thought buddies.

You really don’t want to focus on those two little negative critters, but you can’t help yourself.

Food for (Negative) Thought

The problem is that your attention, and especially your reactions, are food for your unhelpful thinking. Getting spooked by them, beating yourself up about them, treating them as if they are the undeniable truth – all these reactions add to the negativity. And not only are you feeding your negative thinking – you’re providing a perfect environment for them to thrive.

Now those two negative thoughts are starting to think about what any well-fed beasties would think about. Are they smiling at each other? Are they snuggling closer? Are they..? Oh no…

I hope your imagination’s not too graphic, because those naughty negative thoughts are getting right down and dirty and… eeuugh…

Really?

Congratulations.

Your couple of negative thoughts got horny and now you have a whole herd.

Don’t Worry About Stray Negative Thoughts

You know what? We don’t need to worry too much about a stray negative thought here and there. This is why the overall message of Laugh Away Your Inner Critic is about treating these thoughts lightly and with humour. Having negative thoughts is a pretty normal part of our well-balanced thinking ecosystem – lots of healthy variety, and while some things we could do without, the general abundance and wellbeing stays on top.

And like any well-balanced ecosystem, it’s self-sustaining. Keep doing good, sensible positive thinking, along with helpful positive actions – and you’ll encourage even more of the same.