We all have to a greater or lesser extent some negative thoughts , but if we allow them to take over our mind they can be dangerous for our mental health.

Recurring negative thoughts become entrenched in our brain and can become very annoying if we don’t do something to get rid of them.

The strategy of “forcing us not to think about it” is counterproductive

The moment we start thinking negative thoughts, we try to immediately expel these thoughts. However, eradicating bad thoughts is not as easy as it seems, and it is even a strategy that can be counterproductive .

Fighting such negative and recurring thoughts can even anchor these thought patterns, and thus the problem, far from getting better, gets worse. The truth is that the more we try not to think about something, the harder it becomes to get it out of our mind .

In order to free ourselves from these thoughts, it will be crucial to approach the problem in a different way, with the appropriate techniques and strategies to clean up our bad thoughts once and for all. Here are seven ways to achieve this.

1. Modify your gesture and body language

Stop for a moment and observe how you move and what gestures you use when communicating with other people . Do you look more hunched over or have a closed body posture? Do you have a scowl? Do you cross your arms?

If you notice that this is the case, watch out because you are more likely to have negative thoughts. In fact, bad body language can damage your self-esteem and undermine your self-confidence. When our emotional state is not optimal, negative thoughts can easily arise .

Try smiling more often and improving your body posture by opening up to others. This will help you to have better non-verbal communication and promote a better state of mind in which recurring negative thoughts have no place.

Here is an article that can help you in this regard:

“The 5 practical keys to mastering non-verbal language”

2. Don’t be afraid to talk about the issue that concerns you

It is not unusual for bad thoughts to arise because we have emotional or other problems that we have not been able to communicate to anyone . When we keep these feelings to ourselves, things usually get worse.

If you feel that you need to express to someone what is tormenting you, do not hesitate to do so. When we talk to someone about what is bothering us, the thoughts take on a new dimension, we make them visible, and this can make it easier for us to put them into perspective . A good way to start erasing them from our minds.

3. Do you know about meditation and Mindfulness?

The stress and anxiety with which we have to deal with the frantic pace of everyday life can cause our thoughts to be unrested and insufficiently oxygenated. It is almost impossible to manage our negative thoughts when we do not have a single minute of relaxation .

There are different techniques and philosophies that help us to blank our minds and encourage our brains to restructure thoughts and emotions. For example, the meditation or the Mindfulness philosophy .

We explain more about these two disciplines in these articles:

“Mindfulness: 8 benefits of full care”

“Benefits of meditation backed by science”

4. Change your perspective on things

Sometimes negative thoughts are a reflection that we are looking at reality from the wrong perspective . Try to reflect on your point of view, perhaps you will realize that you are not totally rational when it comes to evaluating what is happening around you.

For example, instead of thinking “I’m having a hard time with a lot of problems” , you can try changing the frame and focusing it like this: “It seems to me that I’m facing certain challenges that are demanding me a lot but I’m on the way to finding solutions” .

Basically the message is the same, but using the second formula you can approach the problems in a more optimistic way . This small change in attitude can cause a great improvement in your perception of things, since you will be modifying some mental structures.

5. The importance of creativity

Sometimes, negative thoughts become entrenched in our minds and it is difficult to channel them out to erase the bad influence they have on us.

One of the ways to do this is to find an artistic or creative expression: writing , drawing or playing a musical instrument can be a good way to channel these bad emotions through creativity. Furthermore, it has been shown that art can be very therapeutic and can improve your mood.

Creativity is liberating. When we are able to express ourselves through art, the negative dynamics generated by your thoughts will begin to weaken to make way for new experiences and sensations.

6. Walking and physical exercise

Some people think that our body and our mind are two clearly differentiated elements and that they carry out their processes separately. Therefore, they assume that thoughts are formed in the mind, and that the body has nothing to do with it .

That’s not exactly the case. Our thoughts are also a product of the environment in which we live, the quality of the interpersonal relationships we have, and many other factors. You may have noticed that if you are around negative people for a long time, it is normal that they slowly “infect” you with their attitude and your emotional state gets worse .

Temporarily removing yourself from the environment that creates discomfort can help you a lot. For example, taking a walk will activate brain regions that remain almost inactive when we are sitting . Another good idea to erase negative thoughts is to practice physical exercise, since it has been shown to improve our mood and brings us a good dose of positive hormones and relaxation.

7. Ask yourself what makes you happy

Some recurring thoughts that disturb us have their genesis in a feeling of existential emptiness. But are you aware of all the positive things around you?

It is not unusual that, immersed as we are in the daily routine and our respective tasks, we lose the overall perspective on the relatively positive things we have in our lives s. It is therefore essential that we give value to these good things, and give them the importance they deserve.

If you make a list of these things that you can feel happy and grateful for, your emotional state will improve. Keep in mind that sometimes many positive aspects of our lives go unnoticed. It is your responsibility to look at them again and to value them .