you may often try to control your thoughts, especially when they’re negative or anxiety-inducing. But is this constant monitoring and controlling helpful? Let’s figure out why this might be a problem, and how it can make things worse, and explore effective solutions to stop controlling your thoughts.
Table of Contents
Why you should not try to control your thoughts?
Trying to ignore stress or regretful thoughts from the day while lying awake at night is something that most of us have experienced. Your thoughts will take over more and more the more you attempt to control them.
When you try not to think about something, it usually makes it more noticeable. This phenomenon suggests that repressing one’s thoughts may not always be helpful.
Attempting to control your thoughts can make you more often upsetting, according to research. Researchers at the University of Virginia showed that when people were instructed not to think about a particular subject, they ended up thinking more than when they were not advised.
When you try to regulate each thought, the tension and worry that comes with trying to manage your mind are the problems, not the thoughts themselves. This may result in an endless cycle of frustration and mental fatigue.
We learn to notice our ideas without attachment through mindfulness and meditation, as compared to attempting to control them. Normal habits and responses that result from unquestioned mental processes can be broken by this understanding.
It seems like you and your brain are engaged in a never-ending conflict. Moreover, physical manifestations of this fight may include headaches, sleeplessness, and even long-term stress-related disorders.
Emotions and thoughts are fleeting and do not define our reality. By acknowledging them as transient events in the mind, one could reduce their influence and prevent becoming overtaken by them.
7 Tips to Stop Controlling Your Thoughts
1. Accept your unwanted thoughts
Humans have a natural capacity to avoid discomfort, so it makes sense that you would want to stay away from thoughts that make you feel bad. But ignoring these undesirable thoughts often makes them worse.
Rather, think about accepting these thoughts and letting them come to you naturally. For example, admitting that “things aren’t going my way right now, and that feels discouraging” may be helpful if you’re feeling depressed because your efforts aren’t making progress as you had hoped.
There is only so much I can do to bring about change, but giving up isn’t the answer either. This acceptance not only makes the mental struggle simpler but it may also help explain why some thoughts keep coming up.
Think about how you’re annoyed that you consistently make mistakes at work. One way to accept these feelings is to tell yourself, “I take pride in my work, so it’s upsetting that I’m making mistakes.” Perfection is unachievable, though, and part of professional development is growing from mistakes.
By exploring these repeating thoughts, you may uncover hidden concerns about your abilities or job stability. Understanding that mistakes are chances to grow rather than indicators of failure might change your perspective and give you a sense of security.
2. Mindfulness
The ability to live consciously rather than impulsively is improved by regular mindfulness practice, which lowers typical life challenges like stress and anxiety and results in a more controlled attitude to thoughts and feelings.
Try to be conscious rather than trying to control your thoughts. Using this method, you observe your thoughts objectively. Mindfulness has been proven to improve general emotional regulation and reduce the intensity and frequency of negative thoughts.
example. Take the example of Sarah, a software developer who battled anxiety. She experienced a significant decrease in her anxiety levels after changing her approach from managing her thoughts to mindfully monitoring them, which improved her concentration and productivity at work.
3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
A well-studied therapeutic strategy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) allows people to understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Changing the way you think can have a positive impact on your feelings and actions. Several mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, have been successfully treated using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), according to the American Psychological Association.
example. By changing his thought patterns instead of attempting to completely control them, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helped John, a veteran, manage his PTSD symptoms.
4. Physical Activity.
Getting regular exercise can assist you refocus and control your thoughts. The brain’s natural mood enhancers, endorphins, are released when you exercise. According to a Harvard University study, regular exercise can boost mood, lower stress, and boost self-esteem.
For instance. After adding jogging to her daily routine, college student Emily noticed a noticeable rise in her ability to control intrusive thoughts, which improved her sleep and general well-being.
5. write it down
While putting your ideas on paper may not change your perspective right away, it can greatly assist you in controlling your thoughts.
The mere act of writing down your thoughts can frequently lessen their impact. Putting negative thoughts on paper offers a more subtle way to acknowledge them, even though it may seem overwhelming to face and accept them directly.
Writing regularly enables you to progressively get used to handling difficult emotions. Eventually, these difficult thoughts may not frighten you as much, and they may become less distressing when they occur.
Take into account, for instance, whether you frequently feel overburdened by work deadlines. This ongoing pressure may cause you to doubt your professional abilities and criticize your efficiency.
Journaling helps you identify this recurrent pattern, which highlights how vital it is to manage your workload and establish reasonable deadlines. Aiming for a more balanced approach to your job responsibilities this realization motivates you to implement improved time management techniques and possibly improve team communication.
6. Adopt Positive Affirmations
Use affirmations that are positive to counteract negative thoughts. You can say these positive affirmations to yourself to combat and control your thoughts. You can gradually change your thinking to one that is more regulated and optimistic by repeating these affirmations regularly. Some examples of such statements are “I am capable,” “I am doing my best,” and “I am valued.
7. Adopting Healthy Distractions
Concentrated distractions can be a useful strategy for improving one’s mood and mind regulation. Although you want to avoid using distractions to ignore or suppress your emotions, the correct amount of distraction can boost productivity and drive.
Organizing actions, cleaning up, or finishing a book are examples of constructive activities that can help you focus and make efficient use of your time when adverse conditions delay your plans.
In addition to improving your mood, this strategy gets you ready to take on unfinished business with newfound energy. Taking a relaxing walk, listening to music, or spending time with loved ones are additional healthy activities. These hobbies support a positive outlook and offer good relaxation.
Why you should control your mind?
Having mental control is essential for preserving clarity, developing a growth mentality, and accomplishing both short- and long-term goals. Negative internal thoughts can divert our attention, increase self-doubt, and limit our progress.
It is easier to stay optimistic and concentrate on our goals when we can learn to ignore negative thoughts. The ability to control our attention is also necessary to prevent becoming too optimistic in ways that could be deceptive or damaging in the real world.
By avoiding the traps of toxic positivity, we can efficiently control our minds, manage unwelcome thoughts, and stay in line with our goals by establishing a balance between genuine awareness and healthy optimism.
Benefits of controlling your thoughts
There are numerous advantages to mental control that improve your life on both a personal and professional level. controlling your thoughts will help you better control your emotions, which have a direct impact on your behavior. This capacity for self-control results in better emotional health and judgment.
You can think more meaningfully and purposefully when you have mental control. You’ll also probably sleep better and become more self-aware. Healthy relationships are promoted by the simplicity with which boundaries can be established.
TAKEAWAY
It might be tiresome and even damaging to try to control every thought that comes to mind. You can attain a better state of mind by practicing mindfulness, engaging in therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy, and leading an active lifestyle. These techniques promote a less competitive and more welcoming approach to thinking.
Recall that it’s about managing how you react to what you are thinking, not about controlling your thoughts themselves.
References
- “Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” – American Psychological Association.
- “Exercise for Mental Health” – Harvard Health Publishing.
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