Have you ever taken the time to figure out how many thoughts you have in a day? I’m guessing the count would be quite high. On some days, especially when busy or focused on work or an activity, your thoughts may be less intrusive. However, during moments of solitude and quiet, these thoughts might become more intrusive and unwelcome.
It is undeniable that our minds are constantly active, and the thoughts we have throughout the day can be random, peculiar, or even bizarre – similar to how our dreams can be during night time.
Noisy Thoughts
Just because a thought crosses your mind does not make it a fact or deserving of extra attention. When feeling low, experiencing depression, or heightened anxiety levels, it becomes challenging to silence these noisy thoughts. We tend to give them more attention as they align with our current mood. Unfortunately, negative thoughts often trigger a cycle leading to more negativity and consequently worsening our mood.
Very often, our thoughts are biased, unhelpful, and even wrong. It’s important for good mental health that we learn to distinguish truth from thought and determine what does and does not deserve our attention.
Mindfulness Technique
Mindfulness techniques that we practice can help us strengthen our ability to separate bad from good thoughts and discern what to listen to.
Imagine being on a journey where you need to board a moving vehicle to reach your destination, such as a taxi, bus, or train. Picture one of your recurring thoughts, like “No one likes me,” “I can’t do anything right,” or “I wish I was more like…”. If this thought is displayed as an advertisement on the vehicle, would you still choose to embark on that journey? Hopefully not! Allow that negative thought to pass by and opt for a better vehicle. Just like choosing not to dwell on negative thoughts, acknowledge them briefly and then let them go without giving them power or assuming they are true just because you had the thought. Think of your thoughts as vehicles – you have the choice to either engage with them or let them pass by while waiting for the next one.
Meditation Technique
You can also apply a meditation technique to negative thoughts. Find somewhere where you can sit uninterrupted, then choose a focus – this could be something visible, such as a painting (if indoors), or a tree/plant (if outside), or even a particular sound. While concentrating on your chosen focus point, your attention will likely be diverted by various thoughts. When you first begin this exercise, you may feel overwhelmed by the influx of thoughts. However, over time, this should diminish. Some thoughts may be more challenging to move past due to the emotions they trigger in us. Nevertheless, persist in returning to your focus and allow the thought to pass. In just a few minutes, you might find yourself needing to refocus multiple times – this is normal. Each instance of distraction and subsequent return of thoughts presents an opportunity to practice refocusing and releasing the thought. Keep at it; in time, this exercise will become a valuable grounding technique for navigating periods of negative self-talk.
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