People often make life difficult for themselves by indulging in negative thoughts.
These thoughts are often not based on facts but on outdated ideas and assumptions.
Everyone takes on a certain way of thinking about things from an early age. The values you absorb (unconsciously) while growing up have a decided influence on your behaviour, your feelings and your sense of well being.
You can reset yourself however by asking yourself the following questions whenever a negative thought pops into your head:
How can I know that for sure?
Are there other possibilities?
Does it really matter?
What’s the point of thinking this if I don’t even know if it’s true?
Does this thought make me any happier?
Is it costing me energy unnecessarily?
Is it possible for me to find another – positive – viewpoint for the situation?
What’s in it for me?
It may seem absurdly simple to ask these questions, but then assumptions you’ve grown up with are absurdly difficult to shift.