From "5 Ways to Stop Spiraling Negative Thoughts from Taking Control" on Healthline, some useful advice by Jamie Elmer:
- Remove "should" thoughts
- Recognize automatic negative thinking
- Put your thoughts on trial
- Acknowledge how overwhelmed you feel
- Don't force positive thoughts
Each of these comes with more detailed suggestions on how to implement them: turn "should" into "try to"; recognize "Automatic Negative Thoughts" (ANTs) by noting situation-mood-reaction; weigh the evidence for/against negativity; understand and embrace worries ("Oh, hello anxiety, what do we need to do to function together today?"); and make small positive steps. Be gentle to yourself! Remember:
| It's OK to feel sad. It's OK to feel anxious. Take a break and give yourself another day. |
(cf Optimist Creed (1999-04-16), How to Win Friends and Influence People (2008-05-17), Positive Thinking Techniques (2017-09-21), Ten Resolutions by Clyde Kilby (2017-10-16), See the Good in Others (2018-01-02), Mister Pollyanna (2020-01-28), Worry, Stress, Anxiety (2020-03-04), Be More Optimistic (2020-07-02), At the Back of the North Wind - 5 (2020-07-04), Resilience Skills (2020-12-14), ...) - ^z - 2022-02-07