How to Stop Negative Thinking in its Tracks
Big Picture, Peace, cognitive behavioral therapy, gratitude, happiness, inner peace, opportunities, positive attitude, positive thinking, principles, thankfulness July 10th, 2008I think it is pretty safe to say that peace of mind is only possible if we learn to stop rumination or negative thinking. In a recent post by Dr. Nicole Sundene of Kitchen Table Medicine, Dr. Nicole discussed whether or not we can always think positive. I think it is safe to say that we can train our minds to always have a positive attitude, but let’s face it we are all humans and negative thoughts can creep up. Today’s post will focus on what to do when negative thoughts do come to mind.
In SFT Awareness, we teach students how to process and remove emotional pain which prevents and eliminates most depression. It’s similar to Tim Brownson’s teaching of reframing. There’s something very valuable that we teach students in SFT that prevents them from completing a behaviour cycle that leads to depression and addictions. It’s called stopping rumination. What is rumination you ask? Rumination was a word that I had actually never heard of before learning SFT. 
Rumination is basically a fancy word for negative thinking. Rumination occurs when a pain event happens - anything you don’t like. When something happens that a person doesn’t like a process starts that is very similar to cows chewing their cud. The person will draw on past similar negative experiences. One negative thought leads to another and another and another. Then the person will go back to the first thought and chew on it some more and then the next thought and chew on it - over and over again the person thinks about all the negatives of something he/she doesn’t like. As one of my teachers, Gary Washer, puts it, it is like someone losing their keys and then looking for them in the same places over and over again. Ever done that? I know I have.
If someone allows rumination to take place, depression is right around the corner. Notice I used the word “allows.” This implies that something can be done about it. So….
How can you stop negative thinking in its tracks?
1. The first step in stopping negative thinking is to become aware that you are thinking negative. That may sound silly, but once you start to become conscious of it, you’ll be surprised. Remember that a pain event is anything you don’t like. So start to become aware or conscious of things you don’t like. Notice when you first begin feeling angry, frustrated, sad, stressed or any negative feeling. That’s the first step. Train yourself to become conscious.
2. Make a decision not to think about or dwell on the situation or thing UNTIL you are calmed down and in a better frame of mind. (more on that later.) (Click here to see what the ideal conditions are).
3. Watch your self talk.
* Some people at this point may say. “I can’t stop thinking negative.” Well if you tell yourself that, then guess what? ….You can’t. Change your self talk to “I don’t have to think negative. I don’t like this and that’s okay, but I choose not to let it ruin my life. I choose to think positive. I can stop rumination. I choose to have peace of mind” This is very liberating!
* Remind yourself: “What I think on expands.” If you choose to think on the problem the problem will get bigger. If you tell yourself at this point that “good and opportunities will come from this” your subconscious will begin trying to figure out how good can come from it even though you are not consciously thinking about it. At this time I like to remind myself of one of my favorite Bible verses:
“For God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28
Then move on….
4. Replace the time you normally spend in negative thinking with something else. In other words, distract the mind. A hobby is a great thing to get involved in - especially one that involves the mind. If you have a hobby you enjoy then participate in that hobby at this time. If you don’t have a hobby, then find one. Do a Google search for hobbies if you need to do so. Be creative.
5. Draw near to God. Prayer and Bible study will help to turn your focus off of yourself and onto God instead. I like to remind myself that life is about God, not me. One thing that helps me stop ruminating more than anything else are these two CD’s: Glorious God a Cappella Worship
6. Think on good things. Think about all the blessings you have and dwell on them. The best way I have found to do this is to make a list of my blessings at a time when I’m not already upset and then keep it with me. If a pain event occurs I can pull out my list and read it over and over again. It sure beats thinking negative thoughts over and over again.
Now, you’re one step closer to having peace of mind….
Happy peaceful living!
For further help on learning to think positive I recommend the great one minute affirmations at: Think Positive Blog.
What are some ways that you prevent negative thinking?
Who can explain how this picture relates to this post?
photo by: tonystl
Write every thought and not repeat. This breaks the loop. Ask power questions such as what do I want out of this, how can I reach there, how can I use this positively etc.
Meditation works amazingly too.
Avani-Mehtas last blog post..The Art of NOT Making Decisions through Mental Chatter
I am pretty much in agreement about being aware intimately of our thoughts and emotions. I don’t use to. But I’ve been observing my own mind more closely recently. It’s amazing what I unearth!!
Thanks for sharing,
Evelyn
Hi Jennifer,
This is a great list of ways to rid ourselves of worry. I do agree when we draw near to God, often our worries disappear. I also like to listen to Christian music. That always reminds be to count my blessings.
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..FEFF - It’s Good For The Ego
The bit about observing your thinking is critical, absolutely critical. You cannot change something without knowing what it is.
I’d also add for those that don’t believe in God or maybe have a different view of God (God is within etc) that any concentrated form of focus will work. Be it meditation, a hobby where you are completely engrossed (as Jennifer suggested) or even listening to music. As long as you are in the ‘flow’ you’re good to go. Hey, I just invented that phrase and I like it!
Tim Brownsons last blog post..12 Ways To Become an Utter Failure at Work
Avani-Mehta, welcome and thanks for you comment! Yes, when we teach students to process pain events on paper we have them to write out what happened and their thoughts and feelings. But we teach to be brief. If you start giving a lot of details the rumination begins. Not repeating is important. Those are great questions you posed and yes meditation can go a long way.
Evelyn, yes, it REALLY pays to be conscious of our thoughts. It’s the only way to change for the better.
Barbara, Isn’t it amazing that when we draw near too God that many of those horrible things just don’t seem so important anymore. Doesn’t it feel great to count your blessings!
Tim, yes, you and Evelyn are right on about observing your thinking or being aware. And oh the rewards for those who do believe in God AND meditate! You know I invented a quote yesterday on Shilpan’s blog that I am going to use a lot. It went like this: “Our life is defined by who we plan to be in the face of adversity.”
Hi Jennifer,
What a wonderful article! The key is definitely to nip the negative thoughts in the bud immediately. My favorite technique is “thougt stoppers”, and you give so many wonderful suggestions here in this article. Thank you for sharing!
Doc KC
Hi Doc KC! Thanks for the kudos. I would love to hear some of your thought stoppers. I’m sure you have great ones to share.
Nice! Ya use bible verses too!
Jennifer -
This is an awesome post. Our mind chatters negatively most of the time. By witnessing this chatter, by creating awareness, we can defeat negative influence from our mind. Another way to look at this same concept is to always look forward and focusing on what’s in the the front view of our future rather than thinking about the road that we just traversed.
Shilpan
Shilpan|successsoul.coms last blog post..7 Habits to Master the Art of Winning against the Odds
Hi Daniel! Welcome! Yeah, I’m so grateful for the Bible!
Shilpan, Thanks for your insights. You are so right about keeping our mind looking forward. That is so huge in keeping things in perspective and not getting caught up in things that aren’t really important. We can choose to focus on the problem or choose to use it to our advantage as we look forward.
Hi Jennifer,
Nice article! I agree with the dangers of ruminating on negative thoughts. Unfortunately, that creates “neural nets” in the brain (like a groove in a record). Your mind then gets stuck in that groove - repeating the same old negative thoughts. That is why repetition is key when using affirmations. You then create new “neural nets” that will help you continue to build on the positive thoughts.
Thanks for the mention of ipopins!
Thanks Kirsten for that comment. I would love to see a study of that - pictures of that in the brain. I believe very much that it exist. I love how you promote repitition of affirmations to replace the negative neural nets. That only makes sense. I bet you have done a lot of research on this. I would love to learn more.
Thanks for the mention of my article! This is such great advice I am going to recommend that people bookmark this. And as mentioned above I think getting out of the track with positive affirmations is the best way to go. Thanks Jennifer!
Dr. Nicole Sundenes last blog post..Getting “The Big Diagnosis”
Thanks Dr. Nicole. I appreciate you recommending this. I know from personal experience that this information is EXTREMEMLY helpful. It was something huge that turned my life around for the better. I really enjoyed your post on can we always think positive. Yes, replacing these thoughts with affirmations is important. Othewise there’s just a neutral void there.
I can still hear my frind Ron telling us to find something to do with the time we used to spend in rumination. He was such a wise man! You’ll be surprised at how much time there is to fill when you really put this into practice.
To expand your #3, when I really can’t quiet the voice of fear in my mind, I write out a conversation with myself on a piece of paper. My journals are littered with such conversations. Once written down, it’s easy to see the flaws of logic in the voice of fear.
It’s my “Conversation with God.”
Ari Koinumas last blog post..Don’t Try to Be Happy
Ari, Welcome!!! and thanks for sharing your tips with us. I really like that. Journals can be so helpful. I like how you write out the conversation, especially in relation to fears. If we break fears down and take a look at them then we can usually diminish them rather quickly. Thanks again for sharing Ari.
Great article Jennifer!
Just the other day I had an incident that has definitely caused some negative thinking on my part. And I’ve been reliving the negativity everytime I go by the spot where this occurred (and it really shouldn’t be a big deal at all). Anyway, I’m going to try what you call “What I think on expands”. The verse from Romans is very appropriate for me here. Thanks for sharing this.
Lances last blog post..Weeds…In Your Life
Lance, a big smile came across my face knowing this post will be helpful to you. Those negative thoughts can be so vicious if we don’t stop them in their tracks (I know from expereience.) Be sure and let us know your progress. Glad you stopped by today.
Seems like such common sense advice–think positive versus negative, but human nature seems to dictate the opposite. Your tips are very helpful and easy to follow. I always offer a “Think Positive” approach to others when they come to me for advice, but sometimes don’t listen to myself. Thanks for helping me listen to you.
peace,
Mike
livelife365
Mike Fosters last blog post..This Spud’s For You
Being a spiritual person does not prevent the down turns in life. If one has a pessimistic and negative outlook it is going to take some doing to create new ruts for the wagon wheels of our minds to run in. I have found that the same scripture that says ‘all things work together for good’ also says ‘think on these things…’ Training the mind to think positively in order to beat depression can be done quickly and efficiently with affirmations for depression. Combine affirmations with brainwave entrainment and you have a very powerful tool to train the mind. The comment above on neural nets is quite accurate those neural nets are the ‘ruts’ and the good news is that they can be changed!
Welcome Mike! You’re so right. It seems like common sense, but few follow it. Human nature does seem to take over. It’s easy to fall into that thing of helping others and forgetting to listen to ourselves. Glad I could help you listen to yourself (and me).
Welcome Paul! You are so right in that fact that being a spiritual person, doesn’t mean we will never have down times. It happens. That verse in Philipians you are refering to is one of my favorites. Actually the whole book of Philipians is one of my favorites because it is so much about being positive. Thanks for bringing up that reference. Affirmations are so powerful, aren’t they! I was just making some new ones this morning to “reprogram” my mind in some areas. Isn’t it wonderful that we can change our thoughts and our ruts of thinking!! Thank you for those links that relate so well to this post and the discussion.
[...] my last post I wrote about a very valuable lesson on how to stop rumination. If you haven’t read that post yet, I highly recommend it. In that post, one of the points [...]
This all sounds much like avoidance. Happiness is the avoidance of pain?? .. no such luck in reality.
In stead can’t we just attempt fix the problem that is causing the unhappiness or pain?
Brain, I’m sorry that I did not make things very clear. I certainly do not advocate avoiding pain. In fact the teaching here is exactly the opposite of that. Point number 2 above talks about not thinking about a pain event until you have picked the right time. This post here, explaining the HALT formula will explain the best conditions with which to process a pain event. When this is put into place with the right attitudes and skills we are then best able to fix the problem as you have suggested.
[...] these other great reads by Jennifer Abbott: “A Simple Formula with a Big Live Impact”, “How to Stop Negative Thinking”, “The Art of Peaceful Bill Paying” Sign up for healthy news you can use! As a member of [...]
I loved your article. I found myself in the same trap, until I decided to stop thinking about the past and all the bad things that had happened to me. Instead, I did some house cleaning (externally and internally) and have decided to simply live in the here and now! Your mind is like a stray child which must be disciplined or else it will burn your house down!
Books by Joel Osteen, The Secret, and Kaballah have helped me immensely! ALSO, Meditation in a quiet place can have tremendous benefits. It will bring to mind the question, “why am I doing this to myself?”
Thank you Dax for visiting Principles for Peace and for leaving a thoughtful comment.
I’m so glad that you liked this post so much. Dwelling on the past… Oh that is so huge and will really drag us down! Letting go of those things in the past is so liberating and allows us to live with peace. Yes, our minds must be trained or they will lead to our detriment.
Glad you have found books and meditation so helpful. I too find both books and meditation helpful.
Again, thanks for visiting and sharing and I look forward to having you around.
What a wonderful article.
It’s the “broadcaster principle,” as we call it, which asks us who that person is that we are talking to inside our head. Who is that? Why do we find ourselves arguing with ourselves to prove that we are good enough, etc.?
One of the most helpful things I ever did was to take a timer around with me all day. Every hour it would beep, and I would write down exactly what I “heard” myself saying in my head. I was absolutely amazed to find how often I was “speaking negative things” about myself! Why would I do that?
There are easy principles that can help us find peace, and you are very right - it begins with understanding our feelings and thoughts.
Janet Summit
http://www.peacethroughprinciples.com
Janet, so glad you enjoyed this article.
The “broadcaster principle”…. that’s a neat phrase. Why do we do that to ourselves?… Good question. I think mostly we have learned it from well meaning people. It’s just not worth it, though.
I like the timer method you used to stop negative thinking. I’ve heard lots of methods, but not that one. I’m going to remember that.
There really are easy principles for finding peace, aren’t there! Bringing our thoughts and feelings to consciousness is the first step. It’s our springboard, if you will.
I read various comments and found it fascinating how if we take charge of our thoughts we can really change our lives. We got to have a goal which is big enough to empower us to take action and while we are concentrating on our goals, we do not really have time to think nothing but our goals. I was a smoker for 27 years and gave it up now for nearly three years and ran london marathon, just by giving myself a big enough goal to run. Another way to stop negative thinking can be by designing our life on daily basis i.e to plan every single hour of the day and successfully achieving the hourly goals. Not only it will give us lots of satisfaction and feeling of success, it will create an attitude of ‘ I can do it ‘ which is very important for success in life.
Arun, welcome to Principles for Peace! I really loved your comment here. I think it resonates with a lot of things that I have been thinking/realizing lately. If we have something bigger to focus on we don’t get bogged down into the daily grind of life and how pitiful we are and how we are being mistreated or life isn’t going our way, resulting in lots of negative thinking. We have to look beyond. That is so awesome how you quit smoking by doing something good with your life.
I also really like your tips on planning each segment of our day. It keeps us focused and gives us little mini successes all day as we do each one. That way life doesn’t slip away from us and we feel that satisfaction you talked about. No time for negative thinking when we’re focused and actively working toward something meaningful.
Thanks Jennifer for your comments.
I would like to share with you and other readers which I recently discovered. In most of the self-help books and articles available, there is hardly any mention of any religion which I feel has been really a drag in the progress of human civilization. Religion, in general, when interpreted in a way which divide people, is detrimental to the well being of the world community.
The God’s message which is sharing love and affection to each other can be achieved through self-help books. This is how it is done.
Let us say our goal is be healthy. In order to do that we eat healthy food and exercise. But the other important which many people do not realise is that alongwith healthy food and exercise you have to think positively in order to get the best results. And when you mind is occupied with positive thoughts there is absolutely no room for negative thoughts. The presence of positive thoughts make you a better human being and you start treating others with love and compassion. You forget the past and forgive the shortcomings of people. You create a better family and community and thus spread the God’s message.
Arun, I have really appreciated your thoughtful comments. I agree fully that when God is left out that things can not be in good order. God does have to be presented in the best (right) light as you have stated. When He is, EVERYTHING changes. It is only when I shine God’s light that a better family and community result around me. I have found from experience that trying to accomplish personal growth in my life without God is like trying to build a house without nails.
Thanks Jennifer. With your permission, I would like to submit another interesting and very powerful tool which when used consistently will not only help us getting rid of all negative thinking but also catapult us in any undertaking we have chosen. I call it the Power of NOW. When we think about nothing else but Now i.e what I am doing now, there is no regret from the past and no fear for the future. Isn’t what negative thinking mean. We either think of some pain from the past continue into its vicious circle of negative thinking or become fearful about impending events. And anyway, we cannot change our past unless a real time machine is invented which takes us in the past and we change it. But I suppose the history will have therefore no meaning in our lives. Similarly, the event in future has not yet occurred but we have started playing all negative outcomes in our mind. Therefore, to have peace of mind, if we concentrate on NOW, not only we will not go into the past or future, we will pay our fullest attention to task in hand and when we concentrate fully on any subject, we master it and achieve desired success.
Hi Arun. You always give much to think about. The power of now is something I wrestle with. This is how I see things. It is beneficial to let go of all things of the past. Going there has no benefit unless we are recalling lessons we have learned (which is of great benefit). What I find most helpful is to think about what I want my life and my future to look like and then fully concentrate on what I am doing now to make that a reality. Let’s just say I want to be known for bringing happiness to a lot of people - that’s future thinking. But, I look at what I can do NOW - and do it - to make that a reality. I think it has a lot to do with how we look at the future (in a positive or negative light) and what we do with the now. In rumination, we look at the future in a way that says all these negative things I’m experiencing now will replay themselves in this (negative) way in the future. And that is certainly something to avoid. Often, people don’t even realize they are doing that.
1. You seem to assume that all negative feelings and their underlying thoughts are irrational. That’s not the case.
2. Different people have different needs for cognition. For those with a high need for cognition time to think (even negative thoughts) when depressed will lighten their mood.
3. It’s easy to confuse all (deep) thinking and reflection with rumination. In fact, most people don’t think too much but too little.
4. A problem won’t go away if you stop thinking about it. On the contrary: you have to confront it first.
5. Prayer won’t affect anything. That’s a superstition you have to let go to succeed in life. Only action will get things done.
Alexander, welcome! Thank you for your thoughts. You bring out some good points and I’m sorry that I did not make things very clear. It appears as though I may have worded things in a way that could be misunderstood.
I’ll reply to each of your points:
1. I can’t say that all negative feelings are irrational. Some may simply be indicators that we need to stop and pay attention to ourselves and our thoughts. Something like the death of a loved one would be a natural negative feeling, but it is still something that must be dealt with in a healthy way.
2. Sure different people have different needs for cognition. I am one who has a high need for time to think, but dwelling on negative things doesn’t help. It may temporarily seem to make me feel better, but if not dealt with, will only show itself again later.
3. Yes, it can be easy to confuse rumination with deep thinking. I am a very deep thinker. (Just ask my husband!) Deep thinking and ruminating are two VERY different things. I FULLY agree that most people think too little!! In fact, I think most people don’t think at all!! In fact, rumination happens when people don’t think. It’s something they do automatically, without realizing they can have control over their thoughts.
4. I fully agree with this statement. (See the link in step 2 on the HALT formula.) It’s crucial for the favorable conditions to be created so that it can be confronted in the best way.)
5. Thank you for your opinion on this. However, many personal experiences have shown me that yes, prayer does work - and work very powerfully. It has worked many times over and keeps working in my life. Prayer and action have both been crucial for all success in my life. It is something that I will continue to use because it has worked so powerfully.
@Jennifer:
Hi!
1. “I can’t say that all negative feelings are irrational.”
> Neither have I.
“Some may simply be indicators that we need to stop and pay attention to ourselves and our thoughts.”
> All emotions are automatized judgments (”stale thinking”), which can be true or false.
“Something like the death of a loved one would be a natural negative feeling, but it is still something that must be dealt with in a healthy way.”
> Being “natural” has no intrinsic value. It is neither automatically good nor ideal.
2. “Sure different people have different needs for cognition. I am one who has a high need for time to think, but dwelling on negative things doesn’t help.”
> It helps me. Afterwards I have always the feeling that I understand the problem better.
3. “In fact, rumination happens when people don’t think.”
> Rumination is a form of thinking, and bad thinking is better than not thinking at all.
“It’s something they do automatically, without realizing they can have control over their thoughts.”
> There are many forms of automatized thinking, where more reflection is needed. (See The Robot’s Rebellion by Keith E. Stanovich.)
5. “Thank you for your opinion on this.”
> That’s not just an opinion. It’s a true fact.
“Prayer and action have both been crucial for all success in my life. It is something that I will continue to use because it has worked so powerfully.”
It’s the action part that worked.
Many of my prayers have been answered before I took any action at all!!! There’s truly nothing like it!
hies to all.i m from pakistan so may b my english is nt so good.
i wana ask questions from miss jennifer
1. how these negtive thoughts can be turned inti postive ones?
2.i waan ask that it is either some type of disease as other types like fever, and then y brain finally forces that only u r upto this all others are doing good and u are just burden on your family and country??
3.what is the cure of dual personality like thinking as a man in a movie having everything just going around it? and how can make our way indivality and independency?
@Saad:
Hi! I’m not Jennifer, but I try to understand what thoughts can be helpful for you.
1. Don’t try to force your thoughts in any direction. Rather try to find out if they are true or not. Your brain is there to identify objective reality, not to make you feel good.
2. a) Yes, there are organic diseases of the brain, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it. Try to think your way out of your situation. b) Don’t let yourself be manipulated by others who try to induce feelings of guilt in you, especially when they demand something from you that is against your best interest, i.e. your long-term survival and happiness.
3. a) The feeling you describe sounds like something I experienced myself at some time in my life. It’s called “depersonalization”, or it can be a mild form of paranoia. Don’t worry about it. That doesn’t mean necessarily that you have a “split” personality. Again, if you live in a dangerous climate it can be true and helpful to survive. Just don’t obsess about it and know that there is justice in the world you can count on. b) A wise man once said, that one should
think like a scientist but speak like common people. Independence and individualism begin here.
I hope that helps somehow. You seem to have a rational mind, keep it that way by using it — relentlessly.
Hi Saad. And Welcome! It is good to have you here. I did have some trouble understanding your English so I will do the best I can at answering your questions.
1. The best way to turn negative thoughts into good ones is to apply point #2 above (See link that goes with it.) and then to recognize which thinking errors were present in your thinking. You can see a list of thinking errors here and click on each one for more explanation. Then change the thinking errors that you recognize in your thinking to accurate thoughts.
2. There are two types of depression. One is a medical condition. This one accounts for about 20% of depression cases in the United States. This kind needs medication. The other type which accounts for 80% of the depression cases in the U.S. is brought on by our thinking. Changing the way we think is the answer to this one.
3. As far as this one, I am not exactly sure what you are asking, but I believe that I do not have the expertise to deal with this. It sounds like it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about your concerns. Another good source for you might be Dr. KC Kelly. You can visit her site at http://docinthebiz.com/.
I hope this helps. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Thank you Alexander for your answers to Saad.
thanx very much alexander..
well i have gained pretty much courage from your answers.
i think all is that we need persistency to solve our problems by applying these good advices…
And thanks
to miss jennifer.
@Saad:
Keep being integrated with your values like a rock, but be like water on the outside. You’re welcome.
[...] how to stop negative thinking in its tracks [...]
It’s such a shame that negative thoughts are such a common thing; they can be so limiting, stopping people live their lives to the maximum. I often wonder why we get them. I know we must probably have some in-built defense mechanisms, but having negative thoughts all the time can do more damage than good. But at least, if we are aware, we can begin to re-program our minds and make a change from today. Thank you for this post.
Hi Jacqui and welcome! Negative thoughts destroy us and those around us for sure. It is a real shame that they are so common. We learn to think negative from those around us, from the media, from tough experiences where we use them to somehow cope with what has happened. All these things help create our damaged belief systems. When we have a belief system telling us how this is the way the world should operate, but then it doesn’t operate that way then we think those yucky negative thoughts. If we can learn to identify and process our pain and to clear out these damaging belief systems then those negative thoughts just aren’t very likely to arise. It’s all part of the reprogramming you talked about. Glad you enjoyed this post. Thanks for the pingback.
I appreciated reading this information about how to stop negative thinking in its tracks. For the most part, I have so many wonderful things happening in my life that keep me grateful and focused. However, there are times when I experience a negative event or situation that leaves me questioning myself way too much. Like clockwork I’ll start ruminating until I literally feel emotionally drained. Before long all I can think about is the situation. So reading this information hit the nail on the head for me–so to speak. I start to see and feel everything from a negative perspective. Thanks for the pointers on overcoming such rumination. It is damaging mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. I will work hard to apply this positive information so that I can continue to feel like a happy, complete person without the burden of worry sitting on my shoulder. Thanks.
Dear Jennifer,
My problem is I’ve messed things up so many times that I just don’t think I will ever be able to escape regret.
I seem t have a split personality. Is that just my negativity meeting my positive self?
I can’t decide anything because my mood changes so much. I make a decision and immediately regret it. Why?
How can I be free of this witout completely changing my personality completly?
Even this is ruminating I suppose.
The problem is that my thoughts don’t seem negative, they seem like the truth, sometimes. And then they don’t, and I’m happy. And then I’m back in neagativity/reality.
Does God love me? Why do I have to go through this?
Sorry to offload this negativity, or whatever it is.
I can barely keep myself together. But I think I can hold on. But what’s the point?
I don’t want medication? meditation seems a cop out and a waste of time when I’m like this.
Mornings are the worst, but I think I see some light. I can still see a self observin all this. I’ll try to hold on to the self, but I fear that this negativity will always be with me and growstronger.
Thanks,
Brian