How to Let Go of Negative Thought Patterns

By Joy Idries

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When you find yourself getting stuck in negative ways of thinking and being, instead of postive ones, remember this is your Ego. Ego is that part of you that holds onto images, thoughts and feelings that are based on fear, doubt and suspicion etc It springs from the earlier need for survival and uses the reptilian part of the brain. The problem is, left to itself it has a tendency to want to take control and can take such a hold that it feels almost impossible to change.

The good news is that our higher self is based on love, trust and allowing and that through the practice of awareness we can connect to this higher self and transform negative thought patterns into something much more positive and whole. With practice we can hear the fear that might automatically come up in response to a situation but then we can choose to not respond to it this way and instead respond with love. In time this way of responding with positive thoughts and feelings will begin to take over.

Here are some suggestions about what you can do each day to build a positive attitude :

Allow yourself to develop greater self awareness. Negative thoughts often form below your conscious level of awareness. You get so used to them being in your head that you hardly notice anymore. To turn the tide of negativity, you need to develop a deeper level of self-awareness. Pay attention to what you are focusing on. Catch your negative thoughts. Perform self-checks several times a day. Pay attention first to how you feel. If you're feeling negative, irritable, pessimistic or stressed then choose a thought that feels better, or change your focus to something that uplifts you.

Now that you are aware of them you can challenge and change the negative thoughts. Believe it or not, it's fairly easy to do with a little willpower and concentration. For example, if you find yourself feeling doubtful about being able to finish your work on time, you might engage in a bit of self-talk like this: "It is fine to be experiencing some stress here, I accept that is where I'm at and that I can move through this. I'm strong, I'm smart and I'm capable of finishing my work on time. I'll relax and do my best and everything will work out fine." What you say to yourself with your inner voice silently governs everything you do and ultimately how well you do it. Whilst nothing at all has changed outwardly your inner self-talk can lead you to a much more positive frame of mind and you'll feel more at peace.

Work daily on developing a general positive expectation habit. Every morning as you wake up tune into the inner voice inside of your head. Say, with confidence, "Today I embrace all good things! Everything will go my way and it will be fun!" And spend a moment or two imagining how that really feels. When your affirmations are emotionally charged you connect with the creative power of your subconscious mind and become open to more positive outcomes.

Rather than viewing an event or situation as a big problem see it as an opportunity for you to grow. Find the gift in it. Perception is 99% of the game! If you work at shifting the way you look at the experiences of your life, you'll be surprised at how quickly your negative thought habits will dissolve. We are always attracting more opportunities into our lives to experience more of where we are at in our current state of being. When you are being positive you have happy thoughts, say positive things, do happy and positive things and your reality is happy. However when you are being ruled by the anger of Ego your thoughts will be angry and you'll speak angry words and your actions will be fuelled with anger. It will seem that the whole world is full of anger.

The more you practise changing your focus towards emphasizing the positive the more you will empower yourself and before you know it, you'll be enjoying a much better and more satisfying quality of life.