Why Negativity Compounds Your Stress
Updated: Nov 19, 2022
The feelings of both overwhelm and burnout are real yet maybe these things compound when the negativity thoughts surrounding them are swarming and causing personal defeat. You’re already tired, you’re already doing so much and then those real and difficult negative thoughts pound you to a pulp on top of everything else. Watch out because those blows will really have an impact on your mental health.
Research shows that stress is a silent killer. While there are many things that contribute to your stress, today I would like to talk about negative thinking.
Negative thinking has the ability to compound the current stress.
Have you ever had an experience where your mind has been toggling between a few things and then out of the blue you feel stupid, unequipped, or completely defeated in some way? You were good until some random point, and you wondered what happened? You know that everything fell apart and your “rage monster” side reared its ugly face. Have you ever had this experience? I have.
Negative thoughts are like missiles that forcibly seek to destroy you as you try to process and interact with life.
Negativity is adding to your stress. See if you can relate to any of these words
I’ve always been such an idiot; I don’t do anything right.
Why is it always me? Why can’t it just go right?
Everyone is looking, I have to perform, if you don’t, they’ll judge you
I’ll get to me someday, for now I have to keep going. Later you criticize yourself for not going and you beat yourself up for falling apart.
I don’t have enough time/energy therefore I am already a failure. (This is self-defeating)
There is no time for the frivolous stuff, (you’re blocking out emotions)
There is no time to start over and do it right, I’ll just make it work
Forgive? No way.
You failed, now you put all your worth into that failure.
No one cares about me
I am the worst
It will always be like this, so why try?
There is no time, I am already behind.
Janet Matthews, author of the book Stress: Is stress YOUR silent killer? says, “The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that isn’t working. To perceive the world differently we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now and dissolve the fear in our minds.”
Your words have power.
Hafiz said, ““The words we speak become the house we live in”
If you are more intentional with the words inside your head you will find that you are not struggling to maintain energy, joy, or connection. You first need to find these things within yourself and cultivate a garden of good thoughts.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Ask yourself, what can I do? The moment you ask a “what” question, you step into what is possible. Your present is all you have to work with right now. You can dream and you can worry, yet all you can really influence is this moment right here, right now. So, ask yourself, “what can I do right now to see ____ happen?”
Ignite the energy of possible.
Negativity Sucks and Diminishes: How you can combat this
When you are negative you suck the energy out. Think of it like interest that is compounded on your debt. You find that you not only have to pay the money back but also the interest. This is how negative energy works. It sucks you dry and beyond what you have.
Seek to fill yourself with what you can do and with sincere gratitude and you will find that your commitments will not disappear, but you will have greater energy to face them with clarity and power.
Combat negative thoughts with these three methods:
Diffuse – remove the energy surrounding the thought
Negate them with the real truth – state the truth instead of the lie. Share that you can and pour belief that you will into the true statements. Reassure yourself that you will keep trying, and you will see yourself through this.
Uproot – seek to know the root of why this intrusive thought continually comes back again and again. Then seek to resolve it with healing techniques and removal of the base issue.
What is your favorite negative thought? It will be the one you tolerate most. I invite you to find what that one is all about, what makes it tick and then diffuse, negate, or uproot it. You will find your mind a lot more free, open, and liberated. You will find greater peace and greater clarity as you do the work to understand and remove your negative thoughts. In this same way, you will find you are less stressed out and less likely to commit or be self-destructive as you balance and manage your negative thoughts.
What is your number one stressor right now? Share in the comments below.
Article Written By: Kaitlyn Andrews, an International Life Coach for Women