How to Overcome Negative Thoughts
Written by Monique Jordan-Cave
Leadership and Holistic Coach
STOP HOLDING YOURSELF BACK
Overcoming negative thoughts and breaking free from “the crazy voices in your head” can be a challenging journey for many people.
You’re an overthinking perfectionist.
I get it.
But that can be exhausting and take away from the great things that you actually achieve.
Negative thoughts can stop personal growth, affect relationships, and sabotage your professional dreams.
The key to overcoming these thoughts lies in recognizing them, understanding their root causes, and adopting effective strategies to counteract them.
Today, I share a tried and tested process that will help you successfully overcome your negative thoughts and stop you from holding yourself back.
Ready?
1. Acknowledge When You Have These Thoughts
There is nothing worse than trying to push the thoughts away and try to ignore it.
It isn’t going anywhere.
What tends to happen is more negative thoughts join it, they gather together and have a little party.
Before you know it, multiple thoughts are swirling around and you end up in the deep whole of despair.
Every time you have a negative thought or emotion, instead of keeping them in your head.
Write it down so that you can reflect upon it.
Then…
2. Fact Check!
You have a negative thought and you automatically believe it.
Why?
Just because you think something, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true.
It’s important to challenge our thoughts, so check first before you invite the party to congo line down the rabbit whole of starting to beat yourself up.
If it’s NOT true – great.
Let it go and move on.
If your negative thought turns out to be true, that’s fine too.
If you are going to drive yourself crazy at least now you have a justified excuse!
But there are options for this too which is…
👉 What can I do to change it?
👉 How can I make this better?
👉 What is the solution to fixing this problem?
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3. Be Kind To Yourself
If you work colleague told you that they made a mistake during a presentation.
They said good morning instead of good afternoon.
All feedback after the presentation was spot on and positive but they just couldn’t let go of the fact that they made a mistake…
What would you say to them?
Probably something along the lines of:
👉 I bet no one noticed.
👉 I don’t think anyone cares.
👉 Look at the amazing presentation you pulled together, you are crazy to stay fixed on one small mistake.
Be as kind to yourself as you would your work colleague.
We can be our own worst enemy and super hard on ourselves.
Perfection doesn’t exist.
All we can do is try our best.
Do you think this process could help you stop being an over thinking perfectionist?
Let me know in the comments below.
Over to you!
MJx
Please feel free to share this article with a loved one, friend or colleague.
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