Until we are able to identify patterns in our lives, we won’t be able to see some of the negative patterns that may have developed. In addition to being able to identify negative patterns of others, you can use your powers of identification for yourself too. Identifying both positive and negative patterns in your thinking and you life can help you to create a life that is happier, healthier and more authentic.

Do you often find yourself thinking the same thoughts over and over? If so, one of your negative patterns may be ruminating. Rumination is basically when you think the same thought (or thoughts) on repeat, without making any progress or coming to a conclusion; kind of like a hamster on a wheel. Ruminating can be a difficult pattern to break, but there are ways to do it. Identifying the negative thought patterns, or rumination, make a deliberate decision to end the thought. This can be as simple as singing a song, going for a walk, or talking to a friend; your mind will be focused on the new task at hand.

Do you regularly think the same thought in fifty different variations? Does it take you endless amounts of time to make a decision, regardless of the decision? You may be overthinking. Overthinking is trying to prepare yourself for every possible outcome of a situation, when in reality we can prepare for very little. Trying to predict the future is nearly impossible, and when you try to prepare for that unpredictability, it can end up being quite the burden. One way to combat overthinking, is to limit your decision making time by setting a decision deadline. While this may initially cause some distress in and of itself, it is important to remember that it will get easier with practice.

With many types of negative thinking, implementing some sort of mindfulness or meditation can help. When you learn to be content sitting with yourself and your thoughts, it becomes easier to adapt to both the negative and the positive situations that life throws at you. Challenge your negative thought and belief patterns, you may be surprised by what you find out about yourself. Another way to combat negative thought patterns, is to replace the existing negative thought with a true thought. This does not necessarily mean you must replace the negative thought with a positive thought, but just a thought that is rooted in truth rather than anxiety. As always, if you can’t figure it out on your own, there are professionals (like us) to help guide you. You are still strong and valuable if you ask for help.