Ever wonder why we feel and think the way we do?

Every moment in our day we are conflicted with thoughts and feelings – the good and the bad – but when the negative thoughts (and feelings) take over, it can lead to some pretty undesirable outcomes. Negativity can push us to behave inappropriately, make poor decisions, and cause over reactions. It can also stifle our efforts where we become unfocused and undetermined, and can mimic sadness, anger, or frustration, thus bringing our entire day down.

I’m a big believer that big problems start out as little thoughts that snowball out of control. I was once guilty of such over thinking. I’m a problem solver, a thinker, and a chronic worrier, where I used to over analyze every thought and emotion. It became apparent to me that I would find myself getting more upset the longer I stayed in this thought loop. I was distracted by it, didn’t talk to anyone about it, and only saw one side…mine.

Even years of training and coaching, negativity can still creep up here and there, but then I stop, take a breath, and remind myself of two amazing quotes to get me through the moment:

“Other people’s opinion of me is none of my business” - Lisa Nichols

“If we change how we think, we can change how we feel” - Tony Robbins

Then, if the thoughts become too consuming, I work through one handy mindset tool that changed everything for me and my clients…That tool is a Stress Monitor Chart (Mood Tracker).

These stress monitoring charts or trackers are very beneficial to us to apply to our everyday negative thoughts as a mood and stress management technique. It’s a positive psychology method used to improve mental health, I see it as a self-help opportunity to better understand ourselves and make improvements to our mental state.

Life Coach Brooke Castillo said, “You must understand yourself before you can change yourself.” So, in order to live a more happier, healthier life, we need to slow things down, understand our reasons, work through our thought process, see the perspective of the other side, and identify any triggers. It’s time to reduce our stress and overcome the self-doubts that’s holding us back. Only then can we make better decisions to get ahead in life.

Our mood affects how we feel and act, but it doesn't have to rule us completely. While our mood can influence our behavior, we can still choose how we react to it. By understanding our feelings and learning ways to handle them, we can control our actions better. Even though our mood might sway us sometimes, we can still make decisions and stay in charge of our lives.

Remember, happiness starts within you.

Jen

Source: Brooke Castillo, Tony Robbins, Lisa Nichols

Did the stress monitor chart help you control your negative thoughts?

What other techniques have you tried that have worked for you?

Join our conversation and share your thoughts.

Jennifer Richardson | Certified Life Coach, Stress Management Coach | Rediscover Happiness

By reading my blog, you acknowledge that the coaching information presented here is in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counselling or any other type of therapy or medical advice. My comments are expressions of opinion only and therefore I cannot make any guarantees.