Do your thoughts often spiral out of control?
Even the most laid-back folk have an internal dialogue; conversations and thoughts that run through the mind during each day. This is a normal part of life for all of us, and unless they become incessant or overwhelming, they don’t need our focus.
But if you find it difficult to switch off, your thinking is always negative or you often anticipate a disastrous outcome (known as catastrophising) your wellbeing is likely to be affected, and not in a good way.
Fretting and catastrophising is the enemy of sleep and many clients who book hypnotherapy sessions for insomnia are habitual worriers. Desperate to switch their brain off when they go to bed, they struggle to quieten their mind and relax; I can help with this.
While lying awake they will often re-run the events of the day (usually the challenging ones) or rehearse difficult conversations they need to have with others.
What you say about yourself (in your head or out loud) profoundly influences how you feel, so be kind. Accepting that you are a ‘perfectly-imperfect human’ can help to hush the judgemental voice that whispers (or shouts) in your ear.
Developing an awareness of your thought patterns and internal dialogue is all-important
Critical self-talk and ‘worst scenario’ thinking will inevitably exacerbate stress, anxiety, helplessness or overwhelm, while positive self-talk, rooted in tolerance and compassion, will create a more optimistic outlook.
Consciously interrupting self-critical thoughts as they pop up and replacing them with gentler, more constructive language is a good next step.
Adopting these practical actions will help you to embrace fresh perspectives that can make a real difference. Changing your mindset will require patience as you’re building a new skill, but the results will be worth it!
Developing curiosity
In addition to noticing your thought patterns, interrupting them and replacing them, you can also develop curiosity. Question yourself and your assumptions.
When a pessimistic thought or emotion arises and you find yourself leaping to negative conclusions, why not ask yourself:
- Are there other possibilities that I’ve overlooked?
- Could I have misjudged someone or something?
- Is there any actual evidence (the kind that would stand up in a court of law) to support my assumption or am I just guessing?
I hope you give my suggestions a try and find them useful; I’d love to hear how you get on so do ping me an email.
If you’ve got in the habit of fretting or stressing or your constant rumination results in sleep problems, do get in touch or book an initial chat via my online calendar.
