10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

Posted by writer on October 5th, 2008 at 10:07am

10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But for many with ADD, having negative thoughts is not uncommon, due to all the frustrations and overall feelings of discouragement that are brought on by it. A negative outlook only magnifies the situation, making it all the more difficult to handle challenges and move forward.

Positive thinking will help people with ADD to better concentrate on their accomplishments and strengths, giving them more motivation and joy in life. It will help in better using your time to work on making progress, rather than feeling discouraged and helpless. You can use the following tips to help you begin to have a more positive outlook and change your thinking process, in a way to help improve your quality of life.

1. Take Good Care of Yourself

It’s much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For

Stresses and challenges don’t seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are good in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions

A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member’s bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Otherwise you will spend a lot of wasted time worrying about it, so it is best to get the facts and not make an assumption based on a thought impression.

4. You Should Not Use Absolutes

Have you ever told a partner “You’re ALWAYS late” or complained to a friend “You NEVER call me”. Thinking and speaking absolutes in this way will only work to make the situation seem worse than it really is, and will cause you to believe something about others that very well may not be true.

5. Get Rid of ALL Negative Thoughts that cause Anxiety

Our thoughts determine the way we live and therefore you need to discern them and discipline yourself to overcome negative thinking. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, recognize it for what it really is and don’t follow it.

6. Squash the “ANTs”

In his book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” Dr. Daniel Amen talks about “ANTs” – Automatic Negative Thoughts.

ANTs are usually negative reactionary thoughts, like “They are talking about me behind my back” or “The boss is looking for me, it must be because I did something wrong”! Begin to recognize these ANTs for what they really are, and then stomp down on them!

7. Begin to show your family and friends positive physical contact with a hug, smile, pat on the back or welcoming handshake.

You don’t have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Showing positive physical contact with your family and friends and even your pets, is a great ’feel good’ interaction, one that we all need in life. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. Her tips were noticeably higher from the ones she touched, then from the customers she did not touch!

8. Be Involved with Some Sort of Social Activity

Loneliness feeds on negative thinking and one way to combat it, is by increasing social activity in your life. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way.

9. Be Involved with Helping Other People or Volunteer in an Organization

Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. You may have heard it said, ’Give and it shall be given’, this is a true saying and the more positive energy you put in the world, the more you will get back.

10. Have a New Thought Pattern to Fight Against Depressing Thoughts.

A great way to stop thinking unconstructive thoughts is to interrupt the pattern by forcing yourself to begin thinking and doing something completely different. Recognize old thought patterns that may be hyper-focusing on something negative. That way of thinking is never productive, but only leads to stress and unnecessary anxiety. You can change what your thinking by doing something different, like going for a walk outdoors. Or, you could call a friend, turn on some music or look at a magazine.

Find sayings, scripture verses or quotes that will help motivate you to remain positive in your thinking, the following are some of my favorites: Oprah Winfrey – “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” “Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours” – A Swedish Proverb

Tags: combat harmful thoughts, fight against depressing thoughts, positive outlook, positive thinking, positive thinking patterns

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