Hey Boo!
Have you ever received a negative comment or had an intrusive thought that sent you on a downward spiral? Well, today I will be sharing my two step process to silence negative thoughts.
Step 1: Question It
The very first thing to do when you have a negative thought or receive a negative comment is question it. Ask yourself, “Is this statement true?” If it was a comment, don’t focus on who said it, how they said it, or why they said it. This will only create a cascade of negative thoughts to help accelerate your downward spiral. Take only the words and do an honest self-evaluation.
If you find the statement to be true, Step 1A is to take accountability for it. The comment or thought is a direct result of your behavior. For example: “That person called me a thief because I stole their car.” As you reflect and take accountability, look for the lesson that can be learned. This is a moment of character development. Take this opportunity to acknowledge where you need to grow and move forward a more improved individual.
After step 1: Question It and step 1a: Take Accountability come step 2: Counter-Attack. The counter attack is necessary so that you don’t ruminate on the negative comment or the mistake you made. Simply put, your counter-attack is to leave the past behind you. Remember that self-reflection and accountability disempower guilt and shame. Once you make a decision to learn and take corrective action, the negative comment or thought is no longer valid because your reality is now different.
But what if you reflected on the comment and it isn’t true or valid at all?
You still use a counterattack to distinguish the negative thought or comment, but your approach is slightly different. The counterattack for a limiting belief or something untrue would go like something like this:
This is not true because of this. (Provide examples for yourself of when you’ve disproved the thought or comment. For example: ‘this person called me a thief, but I’ve never stolen anything in my life. Or, this person called me a thief, but I haven’t stolen anything since I was incarcerated and turned my life around.)
If you can’t think of an example, counterattack with an affirmation that states the opposite. (For example: This person called me a thief but that isn’t true. I am honest, trustworthy, or forthright.)
So Boo, the next time you receive a negative comment, have a negative intrusive thought or limiting belief remember to follow the two-step process:
- Question It
1a. Take Accountability
2. CounterAttack
Remember to keep growing and glowing and don’t let the negativity defeat you! Until next time Boo.
Inner Glow Blog 