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MINDSET: How To Change

Negative Thinking

 

   • When  you  change  your  negative  thinking  you  look  for  the  good  in  your  life  more  so.  • Your  communication  becomes  more  positive.  • Your  focus  is  on  your  strengths  rather  than  your  weaknesses.  • In  a  better  positive  state  not  only  do  you  learn  quicker  and  easier  but  your  relationships  and  

other  areas  of  your  life  improve.    

  Write  down  a  recurring  negative  thought  you  have  that  you  would  like  to  change.   ..........................................................................................................................................................

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Why it’s so important to change your negative thinking  

 

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Negative thoughts and images can originate from outside as well as inside your head. If you are addicted to violent movies or games, for example, you are filling your mind with disturbing images – and your thoughts tend to follow what your mind focuses upon. Television or newspaper reports can often be filled with upsetting images. But… You don’t have to see them! You can turn off the television (or whatever it is). Limit your exposure to violent, distressing experiences (and people) and you’ll find the direction of your thoughts becomes more positive.

 

What  negative  media  (or  people  or  things)  can  you  limit  or  turn  off  all  together?  

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There  are  now  many  studies  that  show  we  “become”  the  5  closest  people  around  us!  

Strategies  and  techniques  like  this  work  but  they  don’t  work  if  you  are  surrounded  by  negativity.  Think  carefully  about  your  life.  What  are  your  goals?  What  do  you  want  to  experience  in  senior  school,  in  work,  in  relationships  etc.  Do  the  five  closest  people  around  you  share  similar  values  and  vision?  Trying  to  be  positive  and  living  a  fulfilling  life  while  having  negative  people  surrounding  you  is  like  having  one  foot  on  the  accelerator  and  one  on  the  brake!  

 

Who  are  5  people  that  fill  you  with  energy  when  you  are  around  them?  

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Step 1 – Balance your mental diet

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Step 2 – Have positive friends

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1.   Identify  the  negative  word  or  concept  in  any  given  sentence.  

 

2.   Eliminate  it  –  or  rephrase  in  the  opposite,  positive  way,  and  your  positive  “wish”  will  appear  

 

3.   Add  “if”  or  “when”  to  make  your  wish  more  realistic.  

 

   Consider  this  statement:  “I’ll  never  get  over  this.”      It’s  an  example  of  what  a  person  might  say  when  something  has  gone  seriously  wrong  in  life.  Now  let’s  apply  the  three-­‐step  method  of  turning  it  from  negative  into  positive.      “I’ll  never  get  over  this,”  1.   Negative  word:  Never  Eliminate  it  and  rephrase  to  get  your  wish.    2.   Positive  wish:  “I  will  get  over  this.”  Is  this  positive  wish  realistic?  No,  it’s  a  bit  like  Pollyanna  (being  overly  optimistic  or  unrealistic)  saying  everything  will  be  all  right!  If  you  feel  affected  by  a  traumatic  experience,  you  need  to…    3.   Add  something  to  the  phrase  to  make  it  more  achievable,  such  as:    “I  will  get  over  this  if  I  get  professional  help  soon,”  OR  variations  according  to  your  situation.      Notice  that  the  initial  sentence  induces  feelings  of  despair,  while  the  final  sentence  has  an  optimistic  flavour.  

 

Step 3 – Negative thought turnaround

Action for you to take right NOW: