Our thoughts if not investigated can keep us stuck in bad habits.
By changing our negative thoughts and how we view things can be life changing in a most powerful way.
- Overgeneralization
This usually involves words such as always, never, every time, or everyone. Making a situation out to be worse than it really is.
Example: I will never stop eating junk food. I will always be overweight.
- Thinking with your feelings
Feelings, like thoughts can lie to you. When feeling negative, investigate if the feeling is based on truth or based on events or experiences from the past. Example: I feel like a failure. I feel like he will never support me with eating healthy.
- Predicting the future
Tend to predict the worst in a situation. This can cause a sense of anxiety, which can trigger cravings for sugar or refined carbs. Eating to calm the nerves. What we think about we bring about, this is what is dangerous with this type of thinking. Example: I can’t change my habits for the long term. I won’t be able to afford healthy foods,
it’s too expensive.
- Blame
Putting blame on something or someone else for what is happening to you, you become a victim. This is saying you can’t do anything to change your situation. Example: I wouldn’t eat so much if you didn’t make such yummy foods. I would exercise if my husband would workout with me.
- Denial
Type of thoughts preventing you from seeing the truth. Example: I only eat sweets once in a while. I can stop drinking alcohol anytime I want. I just don’t want to quit.
- Focusing on the negative
Finding something negative to say about any situation. This robs you of the positive things happening in your life. Example: I drank 4 glasses of water today, but I should’ve drank 8 glasses. I wanted to lose 20 lbs for my wedding, but I have only lost 12 lbs. I am a complete failure.
When you feel sad, mad, nervous, or uneasy (any negative feeling), Identify which of the above negative thoughts you are having. Challenge the thoughts by discovering and stating the truth. This takes away the power of the thoughts and gives you back control.