Everybody has had, in one or more occasions, encountered attacks or incursions of negative thoughts, am I right?
In this age of materialism, when everyone aspires for wealth and prosperity, the likelihood is that negative thoughts bordering on fears, doubts and discouragement have confronted us in the face.
For the uninitiated, may I offer these twelve steps on how to conquer negative thinking.
One, when you wake up in the morning and while sipping coffee, devote five minutes of your time to pray. Praying will get your mind focused that God is going to help you get over whatever is bothering or badgering you.
Jot down the negative items and declare upon yourself that they will go away. Overtime, as you make the habit of praying, you will realize that the stress is fading away even as you begin feeling relaxed and ready to do your work for the whole day.
Two, learn how to play chess. Being a mind game, chess has taught me how to focus clearly on the things that needed to be resolved. It also revs up your mental engines to think logically, else you will easily lose the game.
Three, Refrain from reading newspapers, watching TV news and listening to radio shows that rattle off negative stories. A 2015 study in the US said watching just 3 minutes of negative news in the morning helps spoil an otherwise good day at home or in the office.
Four, discard your negative thoughts as quickly as you throw away a crumpled piece of paper into the trash can. Actress Anne Hathaway says she writes down her negative thoughts on a piece of paper, then sets it on fire. She swears, this works.
Five, Shift your attention to a possible solution. Discuss it mentally so that the solution dissolves the negative thought right where it is originating. Overwhelming the negative source builds up your energy to meet the pressures of work.
Six, make it a point to write down an action plan based on a feasible time line. If you have to seek counsel, make sure the person giving it out to you is a positive thinker or doer.
Seven, Work only on happy, cheerful thoughts. Confine your mindset to the good things that you believe in that will contribute to your well-being. A negative idea first teases you. If you allow it to stay a minute longer teasing you, it will embolden itself to linger in your mind until it becomes a headache that is difficult to cure.
Eight, enjoy a happy moment. Remember when you are watching a comedy or a romantic scene in a movie, negative thoughts cannot enter your mind because you are so rapt in the enjoyable video that no one can stop you from watching it in totality.
Nine, be sure to get 8 hours of good sleep every night. Medical doctors do not stop reminding us about this. When you are adequately rested, your physical body gets attuned to your mental rhythms, enabling you to be proactive in responding to daily concerns.
Ten, get a doctor’s prescription for multi-vitamins that you need. I think everyone realizes the important of vitamin supplements to maintain heart health, blood circulation, mental alertness, increased immunity, disease prevention, etc.
Eleven, stop seeing and talking to friends and associates who do not have a good sense of logic. They contribute to your mental pollution.
And twelve – this is not the least – always think about someone you dearly love and who loves you dearly in return. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) 1 Samuel 15:23: “Rebellion is like the sin of divination and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPINES!
