A Simple Cure for Negative Thoughts

It's painless too

The sky I looked at after a negative thought took me outside. What amazing clouds!

I once read a simple but painful technique for getting rid of negative thoughts.

I’ll share it with you today.

Step 1.  Find an elastic band.

Step 2.  Put it on your right wrist.

Step 3. Every time you notice a negative thought, quickly pull the elastic band a few inches from your oblivious wrist and let it go.      

Step 4.  Dance with pain on the spot and vow never to have another negative thought.

Step 5.  Have another negative thought.

Step 6.  Repeat Steps 3 – 5 ad nauseam throughout the day.

When my right wrist became inflamed, I switched the elastic band to my left one which, in a few days, became just as inflamed.

So, I came up with my own just-as-simple but definitely-not-painful-at-all solution.

Here it is.

Step 1. Every time I have a negative thought, I go outside and look up at the sky.

That’s it. Just one step. It takes more time than an agonising whack to the wrist but it’s far more soothing.

Plus, I don’t only get rid of the negative thought, I start a series of positive ones.

Go Outside and Look at the Sky

Why does this simple, painless technique work?

Firstly, it’s not a punishment. It’s almost a reward for noticing the negative thought.

Secondly, it doesn’t focus on what’s wrong. It redirects your mind to something that’s right.

I mean, there’s nothing more positive and blameless than the sky.

It’s just as easy to have positive thoughts as negative ones, but we’ve wired ourselves over the years to prefer the latter so that’s why they’re the ones that inevitably pop up.

When we’ve just slipped feet into pink fluffy slippers and haven’t even opened our eyes, we’re having our first negative thought for the day about what may happen or what someone may say.  

Next time you notice this, don’t reach for a stinging elastic band. Just put on your dressing gown, go outside and look up.

If you decide to use this negative-thought-defying method, you’ll be surprised how many times you find yourself outside, under the sky.

And, oh! what peace awaits you there.

Breathe in the peaceful sky. Breathe it out. Breathe it in. Breathe it out.

Then get on with the rest of the day.

You’ll be outside again soon enough!

With love, Marlane