It’s
possible to think positively if you KILL YOUR ANTS!
We live
in a world where we are constantly bombarded with fear and bad news that
triggers our automatic negative thinking—ANTS! Need proof? Just turn on the TV
or cruise through the net. Doom and gloom stories dominate the
headlines—because fear makes us pay attention.
In fact,
our brains are wired to focus on the negative in order to avoid things that
might hurt us. Fear definitely serves a purpose, but what happens when all we
seem to focus on are negative thoughts? Bad things. Take a look at these compelling
facts:
◦ Every thought you have releases chemicals in the
brain.
◦ Hopeful thoughts release chemicals that help you feel
happy and calm.
◦ Negative thoughts release chemicals that make you feel
stressed and sad.
If what you bring your attention to determines how you
feel and act, focusing too much on negative thoughts can lead to destructive
behaviors—behaviors that can ruin your important relationships and ruin your
mind. Enough of the bad news. There is good news!
You can learn how to kill
your automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) and focus on the positive.
Here’s how…
◦ Write
it down. When those automatic negative thoughts start tumbling around in your
mind, write them down to clearly identify them.
◦ Investigate. Ask yourself, are these thoughts even
true? Uninvestigated thoughts can lead us to act in harmful ways.
◦ Talk back. If you discover that these negative
thoughts are false, talk back to them! Tell these thoughts you know they aren’t
true!
Practice these steps each time you feel
automatic thoughts entering your brain. By labeling, investigating, and then
talking back to your automatic negative thoughts, you’ll turn your mind into
"an ANT ghost town." -
DR. AMEN
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