One of the key components in my personal weight loss adventure is reflection. I like to take time every week to explore the events of the previous week. To examine what is working for me and what is working against me. Some weeks it is very baseline calories in and calories out, steps taken and activity, sleep, and hydration. On some occasions, it is similar to trying to find the meaning of life.
This past week I found myself wandering in the deep dark forest of my mind. Trying to find my way out but I can't see the sky or the sun. I don't feel a breeze on my skin. I hear nothing except my thoughts.
Why can't I be happy? I'm never happy?
Why is she out to get me always trying to make my life more difficult.
Why doesn't he care about me?
I don't have what it takes to stick to a habit. I am powerless.
Why even bother, no one cares.
I am never going to get this. My life sucks and it will never get better!
I am trapped in this situation, and I will never get out!
When I get stuck in negativity everything seems to stop and at the same time is moving all around me in fast forward. I am frozen in my mind. I continue my daily routine, but I am not fully present. I am not finding joy or peace in the day-to-day. My essence has been stripped away. I can no longer feel joy, love, or be loved, feel the sunlight or a nice breeze. Everything is dull and muted.
How did I find myself here in the dark forest of negative thoughts and emotions? How do I get myself out? I don't like it here. Is it my job, relationships, or the food I am eating? After looking around and asking the questions it is none of that. I got here by asking the wrong person for directions and believing them to be true instead of questioning them. I find myself out by getting accurate directions.
Just like my thoughts, I don't have to believe them. I can decide. I can choose if I want to keep them or not.
There are many different types of Negative thoughts:
Catastrophizing
Should's
Filtering and Magnifying
Emotional Reasoning
Polarized Thinking & Labeling
Self-Comparison
Blaming
Personalization
Mind-Reading
Need to be Right.
Just to name a few. There are probably more.
When I have these thoughts I can just let them go. Another option is also to THINK and decide if it is a thought I want to have or if there is something different to think about. One way I do this is by reframing the thought to one that creates a good feeling. I have a worksheet you can use to help with this.
This used to be a daily practice for me. I have gotten away from that and it shows. This is a skill that requires further development so it will be going on my habit tracker.
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