I have often come across clients saying how do I fix this thought how do I stop thinking negatively or how do I prevent myself from having this thought? Well, we all have some thoughts that are helpful and some that are unhelpful.
While it might be difficult to prevent or stop a negative or unhelpful thought from occurring, there are 4 things that you can practise to change the way you think.
Step 1. Catch it
Identify when a negative or unhelpful thought occurs and how it makes you feel.
For example: I am a failure and it makes me feel miserable.
Step 2. Check it
In this step, challenge your thought and ask yourself how accurate and helpful is this thought. Do you have any evidence to support it? Also if you do have evidence of having failed in the past, what are the areas in which you succeeded?
For example: Once you gather evidence of your accomplishments, the thought of being a failure starts seeming inaccurate and you begin to feel less miserable.
This is also a step where you focus on your other accomplishments.
Step 3. Change it
In this step, what is the helpful thought that can replace the unhelpful thought and change the way you feel?
For example: I failed in one pursuit but that does not make me a complete failure. Now this makes me feel better and calmer.
Now that you have changed your thought it is important to be conscious and consistent in building a healthy thinking pattern by consciously identifying unhelpful thoughts.
As much as changing your thoughts is important, the feeling associated with it is also important because thoughts generate feelings and feelings generate actions.
Your 3C mantra: Catch it, check it, change it
