7 techniques to erase negative thoughts from your mind

We all have to a greater or lesser extent some negative thoughtsBut if we allow them to take over our minds, they can be dangerous to our mental health.

Recurring negative thoughts are consolidated in our brain and they can become very annoying if we don't do something to get rid of them.

The strategy of "forcing ourselves not to think about it" is counterproductive

The moment we start thinking negative things, we immediately try to expel these thoughts. Nevertheless, eradicating bad thoughts is not as easy as it seems, and it is even a strategy that can be counterproductive.

Fighting these kinds of negative and recurring thoughts can even anchor these thought patterns, with which the problem, far from improving, worsens. The truth is the more we try not to think about something, the harder it is to get that out of our mind.

In order to free ourselves from these thoughts, it will be crucial to approach the problem in a different way, with the proper techniques and strategies to cleanse our bad thoughts once and for all. Here are seven ways to do it.

1. Modify your body and gesture language

Take a moment to observe how you move and what gestures you use when communicating with other people. Do you seem more hunched than necessary or do you have a closed body posture? Do you have a frown? Do you cross your arms?

If you notice that this is so, be careful because you are more prone to having negative thoughts. In fact, bad body language can damage your self-esteem and decrease your self-confidence. When our emotional state is not optimal, negative thoughts can come up easily.

Try smiling more often and improving your body posture, opening up to others. This it will help you have better non-verbal communication and promote a better mental state in which negative thoughts have no place recurring.

Here is an article that can help you in this regard:

"The 5 practical keys to master non-verbal language"

2. Don't be afraid to talk about the topic that worries you

It is not uncommon for bad thoughts to arise because we have emotional problems or of any other kind that we have not known how to communicate to anyone. When we keep these feelings to ourselves, things tend to get worse.

If you think you need to express to someone what torments you, do not hesitate to do so. When we talk to someone about what concerns us, thoughts acquire a new dimension, we make them visible, and this can make it easier for us to put into perspective. A good way to start erasing them from our mind.

3. Do you know meditation and Mindfulness?

The stress and the anxiety With which we have to face the hectic pace of the day to day can make our thinking not rest or oxygenate enough. It is almost impossible to manage our negative thoughts when we do not have a minute of relaxation.

There are different techniques and philosophies that help us blank our minds and encourage our brain to restructure thoughts and emotions. For example, the meditation wave Mindfulness philosophy.

We explain more about these two disciplines in these articles:

"Mindfulness: 8 benefits of mindfulness"

"Benefits of meditation backed by science"

4. Change your perspective on things

Sometimes, negative thoughts are the reflection that we are looking at reality from the wrong perspective. Try to reflect on your point of view, you may realize that you are not totally rational when assessing what happens in your environment.

For example, instead of thinking "I am living a difficult time in which I have a lot of problems", you can try changing the frame and focus it like this: "It seems to me that I am facing certain challenges that are demanding a lot of me but I am on the way to find solutions".

Fundamentally the message is the same, but using the second formula you can approach the problems in a more optimistic way. This small change in attitude can cause a great improvement in your perception of things, since you will be modifying some mental structures.

5. The importance of creativity

Sometimes negative thoughts become encyst in our mind and it is difficult to channel them out to erase the bad influence they have on us.

One of the ways to do it is find an artistic or creative expression: write, drawing, or playing a musical instrument can be a good way to channel through creativity these bad emotions. Furthermore, it is shown that art can be very therapeutic and manages to improve your mood.

Creativity is liberating. When we are able to express ourselves through art, the negative dynamics generated by your thoughts will begin to weaken to give way to new experiences and sensations.

6. Walking and physical exercise

Some people think that our body and our mind are two clearly differentiated elements and that they carry out their processes separately. Therefore, assume that thoughts are formed in the mind, and that the body has nothing to do with it.

This is not exactly like this. Our thoughts are also a product of the environment in which we live, the quality of the interpersonal relationships we have, and many other factors. You may have noticed that if you spend a long time near negative people, the most normal thing is that little by little they “infect” you with their attitude and your emotional state worsens.

Temporarily withdrawing from the environment that creates discomfort can help you a lot. For example, taking a walk will activate brain regions that remain almost inactive when we are sitting. Another good idea to erase negative thoughts is to exercise, since is shown to improve our mood and it gives us a good dose of positive hormones and relaxation.

7. Ask yourself what makes you happy

Some recurring thoughts that disturb us have their genesis in a feeling of existential emptiness. But are you aware of all the positive things that you have around you?

It is not uncommon that, immersed as we are in the daily routine and in our respective tasks, lose the overall perspective on the relatively positive things we have in our livess. It is therefore essential that we value these good things, and give them the importance they deserve.

If you make a list of these things that you can be happy and grateful for, your emotional state will improve. Keep in mind that, sometimes, many positive aspects of our life go unnoticed. It is your responsibility to look at them again and value them.