Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole of negative thinking? I did today; I received a text message from someone and though the text message was a simple answer to a question, I created an entire back story in my mind about what the sender was thinking, what his intent was and what he was going to do in the future. While one might think I simply had an intuitive thought, here’s a clear sign that it wasn’t: The storyline that I told was the same one I’ve told over and over again in different situations, and in the past it hasn’t been a beacon of reality. And it was a worst-case scenario. So it got me to pondering the age-old question: how to stop negative thoughts.
In some areas of our life, negative thinking can be a minor annoyance, like a fly you can swat away with a fly swatter. But in the areas of our lives where we have lifelong wounds that we’ve been healing, negative thoughts can eat away at us and keep us trapped in an endless loop of negative experiences.
Those of us who live by the law of attraction know that as Mike Dooley says, “thoughts become things.” So I know my negative thoughts are creating a situation that I’d rather not experience so I want to nip them in the bud.
So I tried a new technique that I recently heard about: I used the word ‘maybe. I recently came across a quote that I loved, which defined the word ‘maybe.’ It said ‘maybe’ is a connector to lead us away from our fearful thoughts and toward an open field of hope and possibility.” The quote is by Allison Carmen.
So I tried to use ‘maybe today.’ I went back to my negative back story. Since I am accustomed to seeing the worst-case scenario, my ego isn’t going to believe that the best possible outcome can happen. At least not yet. If I constantly tell myself that I’m always broke, I’m simply not going to believe that tomorrow I’ll have more than enough money to get by. But what if I tell myself that ‘maybe tomorrow I’ll receive some money that makes my situation a little easier.’ The ‘maybe’ makes it easier to swallow, because my ego knows: sure, maybe is possible. And just the mere statement that ‘maybe’ tomorrow will be better makes it easier for me to think that good things are around the corner.
If you are having relationship troubles, you might be thinking, “my relationships always end in heartache.” It might be challenging for you to believe “this relationship is going to work out.” However, try sticking a ‘maybe’ in there. “Maybe this relationship will be different.” It’s easier to stomach and it gets you moving along on a more positive vibe.
If you’re wondering if a love interest is thinking about you, you might be telling yourself, “he’s probably thinking about another woman.” Try sticking a ‘maybe’ in there. “Maybe he’s thinking about me.” Again, it’s easier to swallow.
Looking for a new job? If you’ve had career woes, you may be thinking, “I never make it past the first interview.” Try using a ‘maybe’ and switching it to “maybe tomorrow I’ll hear about a followup interview for one of the opportunities I’ve applied for.
If you’re wondering how to stop negative thoughts, the goal is to teach your mind to expand its vision of possible outcomes. While it may not be ready to embrace the ideal, it may be open to hearing about some alternative possibilities that might be a reality. And then you’ll be on your way. Want more free tips on the Law of Attraction? Sign up for our newsletter.