You're about to learn five powerful techniques to clear your mind of negative thoughts. These techniques will give you ways of dealing with the thoughts when they show up. Each technique is separate and independent from the other. In fact, some of these techniques contradict each other. But each is highly effective on its own or in combination with others, for eliminating negative thinking. Wouldn’t it be great if negative thoughts came with a warning sign? It would read: “I'm only a negative thought, you don’t have to believe me if you don’t want to.” Unfortunately, negatives don’t come like that. They come disguised as real problems. They slip in when we’re not paying attention. But if you understand that the mind is a great trickster, forever conjuring up negative thoughts, you don't have to buy into every single destructive thought that occurs to us. Let's jump right in with the first technique. 1. Cut Off the Negative Thought The instant you recognize you are thinking a negative thought, end it. Cut it off by inserting a totally different thought into your mind. Think of something else. Try to remember your last vacation or become curious about the surroundings you're in. The key for this technique to work is to interrupt negative thinking the instant you recognize it. You don’t argue with it, you don’t analyze it, you don’t defend yourself against it. Just cut it off. The thought will come back. And when it does, interrupt it again. Imagine listening to the radio. If a song you didn't like came on, you would change the station, wouldn't you? Train yourself to do the same with your mind. If you don't like a thought, "skip" to the next one. Interrupting a negative thought 2. Label the Thought Another way to clear your mind of negative thoughts is to label them. As soon as you recognize that you are thinking negatively, label it as such. Say to yourself: “What’s happening right now is that I am experiencing a negative thought inside me.” Then keep reminding yourself: “It’s only a negative thought. It’s only a negative thought.” Negatives only have power over you if you react to them. I’d like you to read over the above sentence at least three times before you continue on so that it becomes imprinted into your mind. Continue to read it until you fully realize that it’s your reaction to negative thoughts that is what gives them power. The minute you start worrying, the minute you start reacting, the minute you start working yourself up, the negative thought has got you. Thoughts only have power over you when you react to them. You always can choose not to react. Label it. Remind yourself that it is only a negative thought. And move on to something else. Don’t get trapped into thinking about it. Dismiss it. Recognizing and labeling a negative thought 3. Exaggerate It into all Ridiculousness Another technique is to exaggerate [...]