Get out of your head and stop listening to your thoughts of negativity now!
If you want to know “how to stop listening to your thoughts” then this article is for you.
If we say that the average person thinks 70,000 thoughts per day, would you believe us? [1]
Instead, you would think, ahh, that’s too much!
But we are always lost in thoughts.
We are always thinking.
While in the bathroom, in the lift, at the office meeting, attending a lecture, or just lying dead in bed.
Has that happened to you so far?
The fact is, we spend 50 percent of our day lost in thought, roaming through random and disconnected bits of our thoughts. Most of the time our mind is overactive and we go through a stream of negative chatters.
But what do we exactly think about?
We think about
- our lives,
- our job,
- other people and our moment with them,
- reality and what could have been,
- the person we love,
- our past and worry about the future,
- other’s opinions about us
While we may classify it as daydreaming, getting lost in thought can prove toxic if it has an element of negativity to it.
It can then serve as the primary source of anxiety and stress without realizing it.
In meditation, there was a relevant quote that says compulsive thinking causes suffering.
So how should we stop listening to our thoughts? Should we calm the overactive mind? Do we really need to get over all the negative chatter in the head?
To know this, keep on reading this post.
How To Stop Yourself From Negative Self-Talk?
Stop listening to your thoughts!
Thoughts help us cultivate mindfulness.
Then why should one stop listening to thoughts?
But when we said stop listening to your thoughts, we meant not to listen to negative thoughts.
Thoughts that bother you, kill you from inside, bring you shame, and pull you back.
Negative thoughts produce immense stress.
Not only for us but also for people around us if we are not alert.
But how to stop listening to your thoughts?
Well, it’s not much of a challenge.
There are many ways at your disposal that help you avoid negative self-talk and lead your life the way you want.
The difference in strategies is the key to making it work better for different individuals, so experiment with a few and find which one works best for you.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #1: Thoughts Are Just Thoughts
Thoughts are just thoughts!
They are nothing, not facts, not meaningful!
And therefore, the voice you hear in your mind is not always important.
Then what is important?
Your brain fitness. And how you improve and treat your mind fitness.
Don’t take it so seriously.
Don’t believe everything it says.
If you take everything it says seriously, you’re more likely to suffer from anxiety. And then you’ll search about it a lot on the internet. Then you’ll resort to biohacking your brain. And maybe anxiety supplements and exercises on good days.
When you entertain the possibility that your relationship with any person in your life will end, this is only a fart noise in your brain.
Don’t listen to the false noise and move on with whatever you were doing with your day.
When you touch something filthy and think of contracting the deadly disease, this is simply a random nerve firing in your brain.
When you believe that your anxiety will never improve, this is only a buzzing sound in your thoughts.
Dismiss your thoughts and withdraw all of your attention and time from them.
Therefore, the next time your mind spins with reasons to be anxious about something, try a better response.
That’s one way to work on how to stop listening to your thoughts.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #2: Sit Still
There is a level of “stillness” within you that underpins all surface-level events, such as thoughts and emotions.
When you have access to this realm within yourself, nothing on the surface will cause you distress.
When confronted with unwelcome ideas, withdraw into the serenity of your being.
This will create a lot of space in your mind, and the thought will appear less forceful.
The most direct path to experiencing quiet is to cultivate an awareness of the present moment.
Find a quiet and comfortable place where no other person can disturb you.
Where there is less to no talking.
Maybe your bedroom.
Put your soul to rest by sitting or lying down.
Sensitize your body, your environment, and the sounds that surround you.
Listen. Become mindful of your body’s movements.
Allow any tightness in your muscles to release.
Sensitize your body’s energy by scanning it from the toe to the head.
Remain in this state of awareness.
All mental chatter will vanish in the quiet of your essence.
If you find it hard to sit alone with your thoughts, you can play some music in your room.
Music vibrations might help you overcome feelings of guilt and anxiety. Devices like Muse headbands and SleepPhones restore your mental calmness.
Moreover, it will help you in relieving tension and rebalancing the air.
You can also use bedroom essentials like scented candles or diffusers to set the mood.
Your being’s calm is not “stupid,” but a knowledgeable force capable of creating solutions.
It will help you gain back control over your thoughts.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #3: Stop Listening To Negativity
If unreasonable things about your horrible past creep into your mind, this one’s for you.
You can divert your mind to the good, like your skills, accomplishments, or something that brings you happiness.
If that advice doesn’t work, repeat after us-
It’s just the PAST.
Just people TALKING their brains out.
It’s just ONE person’s opinion.
And the opinions expressed or past lives don’t make them TRUE.
You must repeat it to the point until it becomes your second nature.
We think another pretty old strategy is to stare the threat of self-doubt in the face and embrace it a little (A LITTLE).
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #4: Observe Your Thoughts
Just close your eyes and observe your thoughts.
Don’t judge, don’t question—just observe.
You can also label your thoughts.
For example, if you talk about you and your family, you can label it as ‘family.’
Labeling thoughts in mind is no big deal.
It allows you to bifurcate your thoughts.
Once you have labeled it, consciously wait for the next thought.
Yes, you consciously wait for the next thought
Because what you resist will persist!
Just keep repeating the cycle of labeling of thoughts until no more thought is left.
You will observe, the thoughts would no longer bother you again and would reduce in frequency.
Observing your thoughts instead of validating them is one best way on how to stop listening to your thoughts!
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #5: Accept Unwanted Thoughts
It is human nature to flee from discomfort.
You would naturally prefer to avoid unpleasant thoughts.
However, putting unwanted thoughts away is not the wise way to gain control.
It intensifies them.
Rather than that, do the opposite.
Let the thoughts in and accept them.
For example: if you’re feeling low because nothing in your life appears to be going according to plan, despite your best efforts, accept them.
Acceptance can even give insight into why you are feeling this.
It will also help you tame your negative thoughts to a great extent.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #6: Practice Letting Go
Understanding human nature is a challenge.
- We don’t remember the positive
- We don’t forget the negative.
For example:
When someone praises us with words, we love to listen. But we doubt our capabilities and don’t accept the compliment easily.
However, sometimes a comment about the thing we’re most insecure about, which we can’t stand, becomes the truth of our life.
And then the “truth” becomes the story we tell ourselves.
This so-called reality affects our relationships, decisions, and life.
Though the habit has been hard-wired into you, it will fade away if you practice letting go regularly.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #7: Shift Your Perspective
Sometimes, looking at the situation might help you understand- you are placing an undue amount of stress on something that doesn’t even matter.
For example, think if something that upsets you today will be significant in five years, or even one.
Or imagine yourself sitting in a restaurant that serves the best stress-relieving food in the town.
Upon receiving your order, you find that the meat is undercooked.
Instead of saying: Why does this happen to me always? Why does no one get my order right?
Try this: Never mind, I will send my order back and get it done just as it should be, perfectly cooked, steaming hot, topped with sauces and spices.
Another approach for shifting perspective is to envision yourself panning out and viewing your difficulties from a great distance.
Even seeing the world as a globe and yourself as a little, tiny individual on it might serve as a reminder that most of your concerns are not as big as they appear.
The idea of perspective-shifting is to minimize the anxiety, terror, and rush involved in negative thinking.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #8: Feed Your Head With Healthy Thoughts
It’s all in the head, our own head.
Two things can keep us from experiencing happiness: living in the past and feeding our brain negativity.
While negative thinking may strengthen you, this might not always hold.
We can skew our thoughts like everyone else’s, subject to biases, what other people think of us, and the influence of our moods.
Marshall Goldsmith, a famous author, and executive coach, said: Do not let negative thinking take the better of you.
Instead, learn to control your negative thoughts and envision a better and brighter future. [3]
It is one of the most effective methods for countering your brain’s negative beliefs faced in daily life.
The only thing you need to do is turn your crazy thought into something more positive and accurate.
It can happen like replacing unhealthy food with healthy food for the brain.
It’s a positive method to cultivate a more optimistic outlook on life and yourself.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #9: Cross-Examine Your Inner Critic
We all have an inner critic.
This tiny voice might be beneficial in motivating us toward our goals.
It serves as a reminder that what we’re going to eat is unhealthy or that what we’re about to do is possibly stupid.
It reminds us of the good and bad aspects of life.
However, this voice can sometimes be more damaging than helpful.
Especially when it slips into severe negativity.
And one challenge with inner thinking is that it often goes unchecked.
It is one of the most devastating powers we will ever encounter, yet we house it within our own minds.
However, if your inner voice ever takes an adverse turn, you must conquer it.
It is better to seize your negative self-talk and check its validity.
The great majority of negative self-talk is exaggerated, and understanding this can help eliminate the harmful influence. [2]
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #10: Speak With Your Mind Like You Do With Your Friends
At its worst, our inner critic might seem like our destructive foe.
Often, we will say mean things to ourselves that we would never say to a friend.
Why not do the opposite?
When you notice yourself speaking harshly in your brain, please make a point of picturing yourself saying it to a dear friend.
If you are sure you would not say it this way, consider how you would express your views with a good friend or what you would like to hear from a good friend.
It’s an excellent technique for changing your thoughts and getting rid of all the brain fog.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #11: Say It Aloud
When you see negative thoughts in your head, sometimes simply saying them aloud will help.
Talking with your friends can help you understand right and wrong.
It will also help you realize how absurd some of our negative thoughts can be.
Other times, it can at least bring support.
Even gently repeating negative words might serve as a reminder of how implausible they seem.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #12: Focus On The Positives
Think of you sitting on a subway station where multiple trains run through and forth all day. But you don’t board in all of them.
You only take one that takes you to your destination.
Similarly, your mind is also a station.
And positive thoughts and negative thoughts are the trains that pass by.
When you see a negative train approaching, you must ask yourself, will it take you to your destination? The answer will be no.
When a negative thought enters, stop and refocus yourself.
This will lead your brain to positive thoughts.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #13: Practice Mindful Meditation
When you practice mindful meditation, you do not stop your thinking.
Instead, it stops by itself.
Meditation brings us awareness.
Moreover, it helps us train our brains to notice our mental habits.
You will notice the storylines you create in your minds around a job or relationship are nothing.
Meditation says; that if something comes into your mind, let it come in and go out.
It will not stay long.
Just let things happen as they do.
Let all images, thoughts, and sensations arise and pass away without
- being bothered,
- reacting,
- judging,
- clinging or identifying with them.
Meditation allows your brain to observe microscopically all the waves coming and going.
It will bring about a state of balance and calm.
Moreover, it keeps the mind sharply aware of what is happening around us, and it’s worth our time and attention.
In short, meditation makes it easier for you to let unwanted thoughts drift away.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #14: Practice Breathing Exercises
There are many breathing exercises available online to get away with these two boys: unwanted thoughts and negativity.
The simplest of all is what we are going to mention here.
Sit straight but in a comfortable position.
Following that, shut your eyes or direct your focus downward toward the floor.
As you do this, feel your soul as it sits here.
Is there any trouble, tension, or stiffness in any part of the body?
What emotions are on display?
Is there a neutral sensation, or is there a sense of anxiety or calm?
Is the mind active or passive?
Process your thoughts as you breathe.
As you inhale, address this breath with a beginner’s mindset, doing it as though for the first time.
Breathe out with the same mindset as while inhaling.
Inhale and exhale, and as you gradually return to the breath, note how the entire body expands during an inhale and collapses during an expiration.
At the end of this breathing session, you will thank yourself for taking time out of your day to dedicate yourself to your mental peace and well-being practices.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #15: Practice Journaling
You can always try writing your uncountable thoughts down using a pen and paper.
Though you can use any digital writing pad to do this, writing using pen and paper brings the next comfort level.
Had a terrible fight with your partner; write it down.
Had a long day at work; write it down.
Make yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea, sit down on your desk and write everything down that has happened to you in the entire day.
Writing allows you to acknowledge your feelings.
Putting thoughts down on paper also helps our brain to calm down.
It’s like puking your emotions on paper.
You can write any thoughts that come to you, happy or sad, while they are still fresh in your mind.
Writing can assist you in developing a greater comfort level with expressing unpleasant feelings.
Additionally, journaling allows you to identify patterns of complex thoughts or behaviors in the best way possible.
While writing your thoughts down may not immediately boost your mood, it can help you gain control over unpleasant emotions.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #16: Reboot Your Mind
Sometimes, you may get so preoccupied with overcomplicating everything that you cannot stop thinking and revisiting the same unpleasant thoughts.
When self-judgments develop (e.g., I am weak; I am a loser), allow them to exist and gently return to whatever you were doing.
Put your thoughts aside and go to work.
Put an end to your chase of the wrong thing and allow yourself time to catch up with the right stuff.
Perhaps by diverting your attention, you can determine what is best for you.
By doing so, you break the anxious loop that may occur between your ideas, feelings, bodily sensations, and behaviors, all of which can reinforce one another and result in another relapse.
This is, of course, easier said than done, and it requires practice.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #17: Stress Management
When thoughts beyond your control bring stress to your life, it becomes challenging to keep control of your emotions.
Moreover, stress and anxiety magnify undesirable ideas, which further causes more stress.
It soon becomes a vicious cycle that can outgrow our emotions.
Our idea of telling you this is not to stress you.
You can always reclaim control of your life.
Wondering how?
By introducing yourself to self-care.
Give your body and mind enough time to relax and rejuvenate.
It will help you bounce back from life’s setbacks with a more positive outlook.
Self-care includes:
- Getting adequate sleep,
- Taking nutritious foods,
- Maintaining social connections,
- Seeking help when necessary,
- Eating a balanced diet with healthy bistro programs,
- Sleeping well and cool on smart mattresses like Ooler and Chilipad
- Having magnesium-rich supplements
Slowly but surely, proper self-care will help you get away with unwanted thoughts.
Stop listening to your thoughts methods #18: Get In Touch With a Therapist
The tips above may have little effect on chronic mental health disorders and symptoms, such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Obsession and Compulsion Disorder
If you are experiencing any of the above, it’s important to seek professional help.
A professional will help you identify what thoughts are upsetting your overall well-being.
Therapy will also allow practicing self-compassion and positive self-talk.
These two effective ways will help you regain control of your thoughts.
Can I Completely Shut A Negative Thought Down?
The short answer is no.
In fact, the more we try to shut negative thoughts down, the louder they will get.
Okay.
We’re wired to be negative.
Now what?
If you’re already itching to get rid of a negative thought in a snap of a finger and the last option doesn’t sound feasible, use BrainTap.
It will help you eliminate any negative thoughts in 5 minutes or less.
But how?
Brain Tap has a set of headphones and a visor that uses brain entrainment and frequency following response to send gentle light pulses.
The technology combines light, music, and sound to induce deep relaxation.
Researchers have found that wavering lights and synced sounds can help your mind attain deep relaxation states.
Moreover, Brain Tap is super easy to use!
All you need to do is put the headset and visor over your eyes, and you are all set!
But why should you spend thousands on just a headset?
Because BrainTap Headset inbuilt guided visualization sessions and 700 audio sessions addresses:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Pain
- Stress Relief
Moreover, Brain Tap helps you immerse yourself in the audio experience that instantly tames your negative thoughts instead of entering the meditative state.
In short, it’s less demanding than all the above steps and more benefitting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Reading this post ‘how to stop listening to your thoughts so far might have raised a few questions for you. Here are a few common questions to go through:
How Can I Destroy My Thoughts?
All our thoughts result from our life experiences.
To destroy negative thoughts, do things you love to do.
You can spend time with your loved ones, be busy with some work, learn from mistakes, practice yoga, etc.
How Do You Ignore Bad Thoughts?
Your life is about your commitment to things that have real value.
It’s not about trying to fix the noise in my head.
When you can’t control negative thoughts, consider them counterproductive.
Most thoughts are just noise.
The noisemaker is a psychological process whose task is to define and sustain the ego.
It’s important to be aware of and experience your thoughts and feelings.
So when you have negative thoughts, acknowledge them.
How Do You Stop Yourself From Talking In Your Head?
If you are having problems with rumination, you may have anxiety or depression.
An anxious brain keeps going over the same problem without stopping.
And when you have an anxious brain, your willpower alone cannot turn off self-talk.
Rumination may stop, however, if you take a break from your routine and do something that interests you.
What To Do If Your Mind overpowers You?
Some medications help eliminate addictive, repetitive behavior like ruminating, and that works well for anxiety sufferers.
If it gets overwhelming and you can’t find relief, talk to your family doctor or general practitioner.
What Are The Best Ways To Combat Negative Thinking?
Developing coping mechanisms for negative thoughts is helpful.
Four steps can prove helpful in combating negative thinking:
- First, recognize and accept your negative thoughts.
- Know if they are relevant.
- Refute them.
- Replace your thoughts with healthier ones.
Remember: You Are Not Your Negative Thoughts!
Thinking thoughts are a lot like carbon dioxide molecules – they’re around us all the time.
They are necessary for enjoying life.
However, if there are too many, they can frustrate you.
We have given you some routine to tame your negative thoughts and live your life in peace.
However, it’s not a day-long process. You will need practice and a bit of patience.
It will take time.
Nevertheless, if you commit to change and practice regularly, you’ll undoubtedly succeed at overcoming them.
Let us know what steps from this post “how to stop listening to your thoughts” will help you practice stopping listening to your thoughts.
We are looking forward to hearing from you!
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Sources:
- How Many Thoughts Do We Have Per Minute? (reference.com)
- The Toxic Effects of Negative Self-Talk (verywellmind.com)
- The 6 Keys to a Happy, Meaningful Life | Inc.com