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25 Ways to Spot Negative Thinking in Yourself

Are these negative thinking patterns keeping you from living a fuller, richer life – do an honest self examination with 25 ways to spot negative thinking.“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” ~ Wayne Dyer

Are you a “glass half full” or the “glass half empty” kind of person? People tend to look at life situations one way or the other. We all know it’s exactly the same glass – the difference is how you view it.

It’s not always easy to tell when negative thinking is taking over. Sometimes we convince ourselves that we’re being “realistic” rather than negative. Or we’re so used to negative thoughts we think they’re normal and we don’t recognize the impact they’re having on our life.

The following list is compiled to help you make an honest self-examination. (If you feel yourself getting defensive, it’s a good indicator that you have some work to do, which wouldn’t be surprising since today’s society is saturated with negativity.) This list is not intended to make you feel “less than” anyone else, but rather to spark keener self-awareness.

  1. You default to worrying, fear, and are always on the lookout for bad news.
  2. You don’t reveal much information about yourself, because it “could be used against you”.
  3. You love retelling bad news in great detail and you put a negative spin on good news.
  4. You have thin skin, viewing innocent comments as condescending, rude, or offensive.
  5. You whine and complain a lot and use the word “but” often.
  6. You’re afraid to try anything new that’s outside your comfort zone.
  7. You hate getting out of bed because you don’t want to deal with life.
  8. You magnify anything that goes wrong until it’s dramatically tragic.
  9. You immediately list the reasons why a new opportunity won’t work.
  10. You hold back from taking part in activities because you’re too _____ (fill in the blank with what you perceive to be a fault).
  11. You talk badly about yourself.
  12. You can’t accept compliments.
  13. You assume something isn’t available, without even inquiring about it.
  14. You move to a new place, and everyone is “judgmental and mean”.
  15. You go on a vacation and its “ruined” by the weather.
  16. You delight in reciting what went wrong when you tried something new.
  17. You’re a victim – everyone else lives a charmed life where nothing bad happens to them like it does to you.
  18. You know that if something bad is going to happen, it’s going to happen to you.
  19. You tell everyone else how to live, but your own life needs sorted out.
  20. You find yourself running away from pain instead of toward pleasure.
  21. You don’t really know what you like, but you definitely know what you don’t like.
  22. You think other people are out to get you, and you jump to conclusions.
  23. You are an underachiever because you’re afraid of failing.
  24. You give up easily.
  25. You’re not excited about the future.

After reviewing this list, are you seeing that in some ways you tend toward negative thinking? You get out of life what you put into it. And a positive attitude is the main ingredient for a successful life.

Becoming a positive person takes effort, but it can be done. The first step is being willing to see that you’ve become a negative-minded person. (I don’t think you’re born that way. It’s something that you’ve learned, which means you can unlearn it.) This requires that you create a constant mindful awareness of your mental attitude. This often takes support to remind you of the positive things in your life. I’d be happy to partner with you. I recommend you take advantage on my Individual Somatic Coaching.

Stay tuned – in future blogs, we’ll discuss how to turn this negativity around. In the meantime, make sure you take the 7-Point Body Wellness Assessment, as it will help you pinpoint areas that being more positive will make you healthier and happier. Click here to download your free copy.

Positive thoughts - Negative thoughts


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