5 Ways to Derail Negative Thinking, Instantly

Maintaining a positive mindset can sometimes be challenging in even the best of circumstances, making it even more daunting when things get a bit chaotic. And things have been pretty chaotic in the world as of late. Having negative thoughts doesn’t mean you’re not spiritually fit. It simply means you’re human. Yes, despite our constant connection to the divine as Reiki masters, teachers, and practitioners, that stubborn humanness still finds a way to come through. And when world events get the best of you, time well spent is giving yourself a reset from negative to positive.

While having negative thoughts isn’t the end of the world, you want to disrupt their flow as quickly as possible before they begin to attract more negative thoughts their way. This can help you be more at peace, more patient with your family and more compassionate and effective with your clients. These five tips can help you derail negative thinking in a flash.

Move

One of the quickest and easiest ways to change your thinking is to get up and move. An old adage says Move a muscle, change a thought. And the concept works like charm. Go outside. Walk around the house. Put on some music and dance. Whatever it is, just move your body. It works wonders for moving thoughts right on out of your mind.

Ask What It Wants

Negative thoughts can be accompanied by negative emotions, and emotions can be a cue that we need to do something to take care of ourselves. Asking what purpose your negative thought is serving can help you find that something.

For instance, let’s say you have a negative thought about finances, accompanied by feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and fear. Let those feelings guide you into actions you can take to feel more secure, hopeful, and trusting.

Maybe it’s a good time to refresh your altar or office or sacred Reiki space, or create a new one. Perhaps it’s a prompt to find ways to increase income, decrease spending, or both. Or maybe you just need to do something that brings on feelings of security and support, like slipping into a warm, aromatic bath to meditate and pray.

Witness, Don’t React

Even if negative thoughts come with emotions, you don’t have to react to either one. Witness them instead. Detach yourself and simply watch the thought or feel the emotion as it comes. Don’t try to control them. Don’t get trapped into judging them. Acknowledge their presence without taking action, tapping into the stillness and silence within.

The thoughts and emotions will pass, yet the stillness and silence can bring on a sense of calm that remains. Then bring your attention back to the present and get on with your day.

Flip It

If you need a more active way to derail negative thoughts, the Flip It strategy can work. When a negative thought comes into your head, write it down, find evidence to refute it, and flip it into a positive thought instead. Let’s say that negative thoughts about finances came rambling into your mind. It says something like “I don’t have enough money”. The three-part strategy can work like this:

Write it down: I don’t have enough money.
Find evidence to refute it: I have a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, food to eat, a bed to sleep in, and everything I need to live right now.
Flip It: I have enough money to provide everything I need to live right now.

Practice More Reiki

You can never have too much Reiki, especially during times when negative thinking can appear to be in high gear. When a negative thought comes marching into your head, ask for the Reiki energy to help you eliminate it as you do a quick (or long!) on-the-spot Reiki session to cleanse and refuel your body, mind, and spirit.

Negative thoughts may still come and go as they do for every human being. But with these five tips in your self-care toolbox, they don’t stand a chance of sticking around.

Don’t have Reiki yet? Click here to find a qualified Reiki Professional in your area to experience a calming and centering Reiki session to help the stress melt away and help give you a reset from negative to positive. Or take a Reiki One course for self-care. Each are worthwhile investments in your self and your well-being.