How to stop negative emotions, thoughts and actions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

When we are in a bad mood, our distorted consciousness perceives the world through the prism of eternal discontent and disappointment. The circle is closed when our negative thoughts smoothly and imperceptibly flow into negative emotions, and emotions turn into destructive actions.

If this vicious circle is not broken in time, the negative consequences of your thoughts begin to affect not only your mood, but also your career, personal life and physical condition. That such a condition can lead to depression and a feeling of constant anxiety.

You can stop negative emotions only when you understand what exactly causes negative thoughts and the further chain of unpleasant events. Find your triggers (impulses) - find your golden key to a good mood and in the future you can not only prevent negative emotions and actions, but also catch gray thoughts by the tail right on the way to your head.

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Philip Viana, a bank financial advisor with a very busy life and work schedule, shares his secrets of dealing with negativity.

Triggers

In psychology, the term “ trigger Means any external stimulus that acts as an impulse, triggerthat triggers an appropriate emotional or physical response.

Thoughts, words, actions and sometimes physical reactions can be triggers for your negative state. One single trigger can be quite harmless, especially if you have let the negative out. For example, they beat the dishes to their heart's content or shouted well. The plate is shattered! Bad thoughts - on the way out! It's all over, everyone is happy and you can finally buy those new plates that you have been staring at since last year, but there was no reason.

But … But if after you broke the plate, you hear something like “I can't believe you broke my mom’s favorite cup!”, The process does not end and just a bad mood can turn into anger and the cycle will start again.

Negative thoughts are like flames

Imagine a negative thought as a flame. In an empty concrete parking lot, such a flame would not do much harm. It is very easy to extinguish it or it will gradually burn out by itself. But if even a small flame flares up in a closed room filled with flammable and explosive material, trouble cannot be avoided. Even if you start extinguishing it, the flame will try to consume as much as possible before extinguishing it. The flame will burn until there is nothing to burn.

The same thing happens to a person in anger. The flame of discontent inside flares up and if you throw fuel on it, it will not stop until it burns out all other emotions inside the person and as a result, only emptiness remains. I don’t know if you have ever felt an uncontrollable anger that bursts out and burns everything inside. You feel anger and aggression! You gasp from negativity to the point of feeling physical chest pain. You are short of breath, you are choking. And when this flame bursts out, it incinerates everything - your relationships with family and friends, your emotions, your work. When the fire goes out, usually there is simply nothing to burn.

An example of a negative emotional cycle

You are driving to an important business meeting and you find yourself in a traffic jam. As a result, of course, you are late. And even if you are only 20 minutes late for a meeting for a good reason, you still get stressed and you feel it even physically - waves of nausea roll over you.

Thoughts arise in my head that you are constantly late, you are failing, colleagues do not appreciate you, you are unable to conclude profitable deals, etc. Your circle has closed and you are being dragged into a swamp called "I am a loser and no one loves me." Plus, you start to break down on the surrounding car drivers, who are not guilty of anything and, just like you, were held hostage to the situation.

Is there a way out? Try to calm yourself down with the thought that you deliberately left in advance, but still got stuck in traffic. Anyone can be wrong. And colleagues will surely come into your position and understand you. After all, 20 minutes is not an hour.

Recognizing triggers

In order to remain calm in any situation, you must understand what exactly is your trigger and work them out. Moreover, in different situations and for different emotions there are triggers. Add to this positive thinking, choosing the right environment and avoiding negativity, choosing a job that you really enjoy, a favorite hobby for which you have enough free time, and, of course, choosing the right people around you - and you have reliable armor.

Weakening triggers

Try to find positive aspects in everything and think positively. This is quite difficult, since a person is a mysterious creature, and even if everything around is perfect, we diligently do not believe in this and find negative moments at least in small things. And if they are not there, then we just come up with it (everything just doesn't work that well). Therefore, you will have to take the time to learn positive thinking and find positive moments even in the most unpleasant situation.

For example, instead of thinking that you are not attractive and no one loves you (even if it is true), think that you have a loving family that looks forward to your return from work every day, loves you very much. you and always glad to see you.

Try to extinguish negative thoughts as soon as they arise in your head. To get started, try to set aside at least 5 minutes every day to make a list of all the good things you've done today, your positive qualities, the things and people that make you happy.

Breaking the cycle and sample

Sometimes it happens that you are unable to recognize the impulse that triggers your negative emotions. For example, you went to bed in a good mood, and woke up with beeches. In this case, instead of continuing to follow the usual schedule “woke up, drank coffee, read the newspaper,” it is better to interrupt this standard cycle and do something else. For example, take a soothing or invigorating (depending on the situation) shower. The shower soothes and flushes away negative emotions. You can imagine how all your worries and bad thoughts go away with the water. Relax, tune in for a productive and positive day

Try to avoid negative economic and political news in the morning. Leave the house early so that you can get to work without stress, so that you still have time for a cup of coffee.

Conclusion

Learn to extinguish the flames of negativity before it starts to flare up and devour you. Don't let negativity fill your life and distort your perception of reality. Try to find positive moments even in the most desperate situations.

Anger, anger, aggression, apathy, anxiety - all this destroys our life, changes us beyond recognition and leaves our souls empty and dull. Remember this before you think that you are failing.