Do you ever feel like your thoughts are stuck on repeat, and you’re not quite sure how to move forward?
Your brain and your thought patterns can be trained, just like the rest of your body. When you train to get in better physical shape, you build strength and endurance. In the same way, you can train your thought patterns.
A good first step is to notice your thought patterns and become more aware of the thoughts that keep coming back.
Our thoughts are shaped by patterns and repetition
Our thoughts are shaped by patterns and repetition, which means we’re likely to think many of the same thoughts every day.
Much of what we do becomes routine over time, and it’s easy to go on autopilot. Research shows that negative experiences and impressions often get more of our attention than positive ones. When you’re under stress, dealing with setbacks or feeling a lot of pressure, it can be easy to get caught in negative thinking without fully noticing it.
When you become more aware of your thought patterns, it becomes easier to notice which thoughts keep coming back and start challenging them.
In Mindfit, you’ll find simple tools that can help you become more aware of your thought patterns, challenge negative thoughts and practice responding a little differently.
5 Steps to Change Your Thought Patterns:
1. Become more aware of your thought patterns
Pay attention to your thoughts throughout the day. Are they mostly supportive, or are they often negative and critical?
A tip:
Pause a few times during the day and check in with yourself. Which thoughts keep coming back? This can help you understand your thought patterns better.
2. Challenge your negative thoughts
When negative thoughts show up, you can practice challenging them. Ask yourself whether the thoughts reflect reality, or whether there are other ways to look at the situation. Look for facts that challenge the negative thoughts.
Ask yourself:
- Is this thought useful?
- Is it helping me?
- Is there another way to look at the situation?
- What experiences do I have that show me this thought isn’t the whole truth?
- What would I say to a friend who was thinking the same thing?
3. Practice a more supportive inner dialogue
It’s easy to focus on what you’re not doing well or what you feel unsure about. You might have thoughts like: “I’m not good enough,” “I’ll never be able to do this,” or “It’s my fault, I’m stupid.”
When you start noticing how you talk to yourself, you can begin to challenge your inner critic and practice responding to yourself in a more supportive way.
The next time you face a challenge, try meeting your inner critic with a more supportive thought. For example, tell yourself: “I can do this” or “I’m proud of myself for trying.”
A tip:
Ask yourself: What would I say to a friend who was going through the same thing?
4. Train yourself to notice what’s good
It can help you find more balance.
Focus on what you’ve achieved, what you appreciate and what you’re grateful for. When you pause and record what’s good, many people find that negative thoughts and feelings move a little more into the background.
Use the journal in Mindfit to write down the good things that happen. By recording them, you reinforce the experience. When you’re feeling low, you can look back at the positive moments and remind yourself of the good things you’ve done and experienced.
Positive memories can act as a buffer against stress and negative thoughts – especially during difficult times.
In Mindfit, you can log what you’ve achieved, what you appreciate and what you’re grateful for. Every time you do, you train yourself to notice more of what’s good.
5. Take mental breaks – break negative thought patterns
Small breaks during the day, such as going for a walk or doing a simple breathing exercise, can help you calm down when your thoughts are stuck on repeat.
In Mindfit, you’ll find breathing exercises, relaxation and other techniques that can help calm your body and your thoughts when things feel like a bit much.
Practice noticing what’s happening in the present moment without judging your thoughts or feelings.
Changing your thought patterns takes time, patience and practice.
