How to stop ANTS https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐜" title="Ameise" aria-label="Emoji: Ameise">

No, not that kind. Automatic Negative Thoughts.

Our brains think thousands of thoughts a day and a lot of them are negative https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧠" title="Gehirn" aria-label="Emoji: Gehirn">

So, what can we do to stop them?

A THREADhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏾" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✨" title="Funken" aria-label="Emoji: Funken">

Firstly, the whole thinking negative thing... this is normal, as humans we’re constantly looking out for anything that can threaten us.

But sometimes this can work against us and turn negative thinking into a habit causing high levels of stress.

Here’s how you can stop them:

1) Identify your triggers.

You always need to identify the problem before you get your Celution https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😉" title="Zwinkerndes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Zwinkerndes Gesicht">

Make note of your Automatic Negative Thoughts.

What patterns of thinking can you notice?
What events trigger these types of thoughts? https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Denkendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Denkendes Gesicht">

Have you been attaching negative labels to yourself and are now creating a self-fulfilling prophecy?

2) Question yourself.

When you notice you’re having an A.N.T, ask yourself these Q’shttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏾" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">:

• Is this thought true?
• Is there another way of looking at this situation?
• What is thinking like this doing for me?
• If a friend was thinking like this, what would I say to them?

If you wouldn’t say something negative to a friend, why say it to yourself?

3) Reframe the thoughts.

To stop an A.N.T, you need to replace it with its opposite – a positive one.

Try:
- Write down the A.N.T that you constantly have.
- Next to it, write down what triggered it.
- Then, reframe it and turn it into a positive thought.

Think that instead.

Example: “I’m not good enough.”

Trigger: received a few job rejections.

New thought: it’s going to take some work to get my dream job. I’m going to continue working for it, I’ll get there.

Got it? https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👀" title="Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Augen">

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