How to identify negative thinking

Negative thinking can creep up on us in a few different ways. If you’re used to practicing negative self-talk, you may not even realize when you’re doing it. It becomes automatic and actually creates cognitive bias in how we view the world. Here are few examples of when negative thinking can happen:

Filtering out the positive thoughts

You may only see the downside when facing a difficult situation. You might automatically filter out all positive aspects and only focus on the bad things. When we forget about positive affirmations, we forget that we’re capable and have some control in our lives.

We also forget to look for humor in a situation. Positive thoughts may be attached to the situation, but you can’t see them because you’re too focused on the negative ones. Humor is a great way to bring the positives to the front.

Polarizing our thoughts and reactions

Negative thinking can happen when you polarize everything that happens to you right away. Things can only be good or bad with nothing in between. When we’re experiencing anything from new changes or something from our usual routine, they’re perceived as positive or negative.

Either things work out just as you wanted, or everything is a failure and a waste of time. This isn’t reality. Life is shades of gray and most outcomes have a mix of highs and lows. Both are opportunities for learning how to improve the next round.

Examples of positive thinking

Positive thinking helps you change your attitude towards whatever situation or environment you’re in.  Read these few examples of positive thinking and imagine how a change in attitude and perspective could impact the experience:

Trying something new

Your coworker just called in sick, but their work still has to be completed to meet the deadline. You’ve never done their job before, and you’re worried you’ll fail and ruin the entire project. Rather than spiraling into thinking the worst, you see this as an opportunity.

Your team needs you, and you get to learn new skills, work with new people, and experience the tasks that your coworker handles. You might nail it, or you might just get by, and either is ok.

Getting out of your comfort zone

You’re invited to a friend’s party. A few of your mutual friends were supposed to go, but they canceled at the last minute. You show up to the party and only know the host, making you feel awkward and bored.

Rather than feeling like a socially-awkward loser or feeling resentful toward your friends who canceled, you accept that you don’t know many people here and feel grateful for seeing your friend on their birthday. You focus on your friend’s special moment and do your best to meet new people.

Switching mindsets

Why wait when it comes to learning how to reap positive thinking benefits? Start experiencing what it’s like to fill your life with positive self-talk. You’ll learn to leave behind your self-sabotaging negativity, be your best self, and meet your goals unhindered.

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